Division 


35  n  5 

,5.  &65 


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THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

An  American  Translation 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO  PRESS 
CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


THE  BAKER  AND  TAYLOR  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK 


THE  CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

LONDON 

THE  MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA 

TOKYO,  OSAKA,  KYOTO,  FUKUOKA,  SENDAI 

THE  MISSION  BOOK  COMPANY 


SHANGHAI 


VBiWe..E«irf\isVi.N.T.  |qM. 

iJ 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

An  American  Translation 


By 

EDGAR  J.  GOODSPEED 

Professor  of  Biblical  and  Patristic  Greek 
The  University  of  Chicago 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO  PRESS 
CHICAGO  ILLINOIS 


Copyright  1923  By 
The  University  of  Chicago 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Published  October  1923 


Composed  and  Printed  By 
The  University  of  Chicago  PreS9 
Chicago,  Illinois,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 


The  New  Testament  was  written  not  in  classical  Greek, 
nor  in  the  “biblical”  Greek  of  the  Greek  version  of  the  Old 
Testament,  nor  even  in  the  literary  Greek  of  its  own  day,  but 
in  the  common  language  of  everyday  life.  This  fact  has  been 
fully  established  by  the  Greek  papyrus  discoveries  and  the 
grammatical  researches  of  the  last  twenty-five  years.  It 
follows  that  the  most  appropriate  English  form  for  the  New 
Testament  is  the  simple,  straightforward  English  of  every¬ 
day  expression. 

The  invitation  of  the  University  Press  to  provide  such  a 
translation  was  accepted  by  the  present  translator  in  the 
hope  that  it  might  result  in  a  version  with  something  of 
the  ease,  boldness,  and  unpretending  vigor  which  mark  the 
original  Greek.  The  writers  of  the  New  Testament  had  for 
the  most  part  little  use  for  literary  art.  The  principal 
figure  among  them,  the  apostle  Paul,  said  this  in  so  many 
words.  They  put  their  message  in  the  simplest  and  most 
direct  terms  they  could  command,  so  that  it  spoke  directly 
to  the  common  life  of  their  day.  The  great  passages  in  the 
New  Testament  owe  their  greatness  more  to  the  trenchant 
vigor  of  their  thought,  or  the  moral  sublimity  of  their  ideas, 
than  to  the  graces  of  rhetoric. 

The  translation  of  such  a  book  demands  first,  the  under¬ 
standing  of  what  the  several  writers  meant  to  say,  and  second, 
the  casting  of  their  thought  in  the  simplest  and  clearest 
of  present-day  English.  It  is  the  meaning,  not  the  dress,  of 
the  New  Testament  that  is  of  principal  importance.  For 
many  of  us  the  familiar  expressions  of  the  Authorized  Version 
are  richly  freighted  with  memories  and  associations.  But 
few  indeed  sit  down  and  read  the  New  Testament  in  that 
version  continuously  and  understanding^,  a  book  at  a  time, 
as  it  was  written  to  be  read.  The  antique  diction,  the 
mechanical  method  of  translation,  and  the  disturbing  verse 
division  retard  and  discourage  the  reader.  The  aim  of 


VI 


PREFACE 


the  present  translation  has  been  to  present  the  meaning  of 
the  different  books  as  faithfully  as  possible,  without  bias  or 
prejudice,  in  English  of  the  same  kind  as  the  Greek  of  the 
original,  so  that  they  may  be  continuously  and  understand¬ 
ing^  read.  There  is  no  book  in  the  New  Testament  that 
cannot  easily  be  read  at  a  sitting.  For  American  readers, 
especially,  who  have  had  to  depend  so  long  upon  versions 
made  in  Great  Britain,  there  is  room  for  a  New  Testament 
free  from  expressions  which,  however  familiar  in  England  or 
Scotland,  are  strange  to  American  ears. 

The  progress  of  recent  years  in  the  study  of  the  text, 
grammar,  lexicography,  and  interpretation  of  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment,  together  with  the  discoveries  of  Greek  papyri  made 
chiefly  since  1897,  offers  a  wealth  of  material  to  the  translator. 
The  grammatical  works  of  Blass,  Burton,  Moulton,  and 
Robertson,  and  the  new  lexicons  of  Preuschen  (1910),  Zorell 
( 1 9 1 1 ),  Ebeling  (1913),  Souter  (1916),  and  Abbott-Smith 
(1922),  with  the  lexical  studies  of  Moulton  and  Milligan 
(1914 — )  greatly  facilitate  the  work  of  the  interpreter. 

I  have  closely  followed  the  Greek  text  of  Westcott  and 
Hort,  now  generally  accepted.  Every  scholar  knows  its 
great  superiority  to  the  late  and  faulty  Greek  texts  from 
which  the  early  English  translations  from  Tyndale  to  the 
Authorized  Version  were  made.  In  a  few  instances,  I  have 
accepted  the  emendations  suggested  by  Dr.  Hort  himself 
in  his  Notes  on  Select  Readings .  Under  the  influence  of 
more  recent  investigations,  I  have  departed  from  Westcott 
and  Hort  in  John  19:29;  Acts  19:28,  34;  James  1:17; 
3:6;  and  Revelation  13:1;  and  I  have  adopted  the  striking 
suggestion  of  Rendel  Harris,  that  by  an  error  of  the  eye  the 
name  of  Enoch  has  dropped  out  of  the  text  in  I  Peter  3:19. 
The  passages  marked  by  Westcott  and  Hort  as  interpolations 
have  been  omitted  from  this  translation,  as  being  no  part  of 
the  original  text. 

The  generous  co-operation  of  the  University  Press  has 
made  it  possible  to  print  the  translation  as  one  would  a 
modern  book,  with  all  those  aids  of  quotation  marks  and 
paragraphing  which  make  an  open  and  inviting  page,  and  so 
facilitate  reading,  reference,  and  understanding.  The  trans- 


PREFACE 


•  • 
vi  1 

Iator  has  not  interspersed  the  text  with  footnotes  or  captions 
of  his  own  devising,  preferring  to  leave  it  to  make  its  own 
impression  upon  the  reader.  Nor  has  he  prefaced  the  several 
books  with  historical  introductions,  which  might  aid  in  their 
understanding.  For  such  aids,  he  would  refer  to  his  Story  of 
the  New  Testament ,  which  the  studious  reader  may  find  a 
helpful  companion  to  the  present  translation. 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  any  translation  of  a  master¬ 
piece  must  be  a  failure,  but  if  this  translation  can  in  any 
measure  bring  home  the  great,  living  messages  of  the  New 
Testament  a  little  more  widely  and  forcibly  to  the  life  of 
our  time,  the  translator  will  be  well  content. 

Edgar  J.  Goodspeed 

The  University  of  Chicago 
August  31,  1923 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The  Gospel  according  to  Matthew .  i 


The  Gospel  according  to  Mark . 64 

The  Gospel  according  to  Luke . 106 

The  Gospel  according  to  John . 173 

The  Acts  of  the  Apostles . 227 

The  Letter  to  the  Romans . 289 

The  First  Letter  to  the  Corinthians  ....  314 

The  Second  Letter  to  the  Corinthians  ....  338 

The  Letter  to  the  Galatians . 354 

The  Letter  to  the  Ephesians . 362 

The  Letter  to  the  Philippians . 370 

The  Letter  to  the  Colossians . 376 

The  First  Letter  to  the  Thessalonians  .  .  .  382 

The  Second  Letter  to  the  Thessalonians  .  .  .  387 

The  First  Letter  to  Timothy . 390 

The  Second  Letter  to  Timothy . 397 

The  Letter  to  Titus . 402 

The  Letter  to  Philemon . 405 

The  Letter  to  the  Hebrews . 407 

The  Letter  of  James . 426 

The  First  Letter  of  Peter . 432 

The  Second  Letter  of  Peter . 439 

The  First  Letter  of  John . 443 

The  Second  Letter  of  John . 449 

The  Third  Letter  of  John . 450 

The  Letter  of  Jude . 451 

The  Revelation  of  John . 453 


IX 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW 


The  ancestry  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  descended  from 
David,  who  was  descended  from  Abraham. 

Abraham  was  the  father  of  Isaac,  and  Isaac  of  Jacob,  and 
Jacob  of  Judah  and  his  brothers,  and  Judah  of  Perez  and 
Zerah,  whose  mother  was  Tamar.  And  Perez  was  the  father 
of  Hezron,  and  Hezron  of  Aram,  and  Aram  of  Aminadab,  and 
Aminadab  of  Nahshon,  and  Nahshon  of  Salmon,  and  Salmon 
of  Boaz,  whose  mother  was  Rahab.  And  Boaz  was  the  father 
of  Obed,  whose  mother  was  Ruth.  And  Obed  was  the  father 
of  Jesse,  and  Jesse  of  King  David. 

David  was  the  father  of  Solomon,  whose  mother  was 
Uriah’s  wife.  And  Solomon  was  the  father  of  Rehoboam, 
and  Rehoboam  of  Abijah,  and  Abijah  of  Asa,  and  Asa  of 
Jehoshaphat,  and  Jehoshaphat  of  Joram,  and  Joram  of 
Uzziah,  and  Uzziah  of  Jotham,  and  Jotham  of  Ahaz,  and 
Ahaz  of  Hezekiah,  and  Hezekiah  of  Manasseh,  and  Manasseh 
of  Amon,  and  Amon  of  Josiah,  and  Josiah  of  Jeconiah  and 
his  brothers,  at  the  period  of  the  Babylonian  Exile. 

After  the  Babylonian  Exile,  Jeconiah  had  a  son  named 
Shealtiel,  and  Shealtiel  was  the  father  of  Zerubbabel,  and 
Zerubbabel  of  Abiud,  and  Abiud  of  Eliakim,  and  Eliakim  of 
Azor,  and  Azor  of  Zadok,  and  Zadok  of  Achim,  and  Achim  of 
Eliud,  and  Eliud  of  Eleazar,  and  Eleazar  of  Matthan,  and 
Matthan  of  Jacob,  and  Jacob  of  Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary, 
who  was  the  mother  of  Jesus  called  Christ. 

So  the  whole  number  of  generations  from  Abraham  to 
David  is  fourteen,  and  from  David  to  the  Babylonian  Exile, 
fourteen,  and  from  the  Babylonian  Exile  to  the  Christ, 
fourteen. 


Now  these  were  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Mary,  his  mother,  was  engaged  to  Joseph,  but 

i :  i— 18 


i 


1 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


before  they  were  married  it  was  found  that  she  was  about  to 
become  a  mother  through  the  influence  of  the  holy  Spirit. 
But  her  husband,  Joseph,  was  an  upright  man  and  did  not  wish 
to  disgrace  her,  and  he  decided  to  break  off  the  engagement 
privately.  But  while  he  was  thinking  of  doing  this,  an  angel 
of  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  and  said, 

“Joseph,  descendant  of  David,  do  not  fear  to  take  Mary, 
your  wife,  to  your  home,  for  it  is  through  the  influence  of  the 
holy  Spirit  that  she  is  to  become  a  mother.  She  will  have  a 
son,  and  you  are  to  name  him  Jesus,  for  it  is  he  who  is  to  save 
his  people  from  their  sins.” 

All  this  happened  in  fulfilment  of  what  the  Lord  said 
through  the  prophet, 

“The  maiden  will  be  pregnant  and  will  have  a  son, 

And  they  will  name  him  Immanuel” 

— a  word  which  means  “God  with  us.”  So  when  Joseph 
awoke  from  his  sleep,  he  did  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had 
directed  him,  and  took  his  wife  to  his  home.  But  he  did  not 
live  with  her  as  a  husband  until  she  had  had  a  son,  and  he 
named  the  child  Jesus. 

Now  after  the  birth  of  Jesus  at  Bethlehem  in  Judea,  in  the 
days  of  King  Herod,  astrologers  from  the  east  arrived  at 
Jerusalem,  and  asked, 

“  Where  is  the  newly  born  king  of  the  Jews  ?  For  we  have 
seen  his  star  rise  and  we  have  come  to  do  homage  to  him.” 

When  King  Herod  heard  of  this,  he  was  troubled,  and  all 
Jerusalem  with  him.  So  he  called  together  all  the  high 
priests  and  scribes  of  the  people  and  asked  them  where  the 
Christ  was  to  be  born.  They  said, 

“At  Bethlehem  in  Judea,  for  this  is  what  the  prophet 
wrote: 

“‘And  you,  Bethlehem  in  Judah’s  land, 

You  are  by  no  means  least  important  among  the  leading 
places  of  Judah, 

For  from  you  will  come  a  leader 

Who  will  be  the  shepherd  of  my  people  Israel.’” 

Then  Herod  secretly  sent  for  the  astrologers,  and  found 
out  from  them  the  exact  time  when  the  star  appeared. 
And  he  sent  them  to  Bethlehem,  and  said  to  them, 

1:19-2:8 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  3 


“Go  and  inquire  particularly  about  the  child,  and  when 
you  have  found  him,  bring  me  word,  so  that  I  may  go  and  do 
homage  to  him  too.” 

So  they  obeyed  the  king  and  went,  and  the  star  which 
they  had  seen  rise  led  them  on  until  it  reached  the  place  where 
the  child  was,  and  stopped  above  it.  When  they  saw  the  star, 
they  were  very  glad,  and  they  went  into  the  house  and  saw 
the  child  with  his  mother,  Mary,  and  they  threw  themselves 
down  and  did  homage  to  him.  They  opened  their  treasure 
boxes  and  presented  the  child  with  gifts  of  gold,  frankincense, 
and  myrrh.  Then,  as  they  had  been  divinely  warned  in  a 
dream  not  to  go  back  to  Herod,  they  returned  to  their  own 
country  by  another  way. 

When  they  were  gone,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to 
Joseph  in  a  dream,  and  said, 

“Wake  up!  Take  the  child  and  his  mother  and  make 
your  escape  to  Egypt,  and  stay  there  until  I  tell  you  to  leave. 
For  Herod  is  going  to  look  for  the  child  in  order  to  make  away 
with  him.” 

Then  he  awoke  and  took  the  child  and  his  mother  by 
night  and  took  refuge  in  Egypt,  to  fulfil  what  the  Lord  said  by 
the  prophet,  “I  called  my  son  from  Egypt.” 

Then  Herod  saw  that  he  had  been  tricked  by  the  astrol¬ 
ogers,  and  he  was  very  angry,  and  he  sent  and  made  away  with 
all  the  boys  in  Bethlehem  and  in  all  that  neighborhood  who 
were  two  years  old  or  under,  for  that  was  the  time  he  had 
learned  from  the  astrologers  by  his  inquiries.  Then  the  saying 
was  fulfilled  which  was  uttered  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah, 

“A  cry  was  heard  in  Ramah! 

Weeping  and  great  lamenting! 

Rachel  weeping  for  her  children, 

And  inconsolable  because  they  were  gone.” 

But  when  Herod  died,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  in 
a  dream  to  Joseph  in  Egypt  and  said, 

“Wake  up!  Take  the  child  and  his  mother  and  go  to  the 
land  of  Israel,  for  those  who  sought  the  child’s  life  are  dead.” 

Then  he  awoke,  and  took  the  child  and  his  mother  and 
went  to  the  land  of  Israel.  But  hearing  that  Archelaus 
was  reigning  over  Judea  in  the  place  of  his  father,  Herod,  he 

2 : 9-22 


4 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


was  afraid  to  return  there;  and  being  warned  in  a  dream,  he 
took  refuge  in  the  region  of  Galilee,  and  he  went  and  settled 
in  a  town  called  Nazareth,  in  fulfilment  of  the  saying  of  the 
prophets, 

“He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene.” 


In  those  days  John  the  Baptist  appeared,  and  preached 
in  the  desert  of  Judea. 

“Repent!”  he  said,  “for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is 
coming!” 

It  was  he  who  was  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  when 
he  said, 

“Hark!  Someone  is  shouting  in  the  desert, 

‘Get  the  Lord’s  way  ready! 

Make  his  paths  straight!’  ” 

John  wore  clothing  made  of  hair  cloth,  and  he  had  a  leather 
belt  around  his  waist,  and  he  lived  on  dried  locusts  and  wild 
honey.  Then  Jerusalem  and  all  Judea  and  the  whole  Jordan 
valley  went  out  to  him,  and  they  were  baptized  by  him  in  the 
Jordan  River,  in  acknowledgment  of  their  sins.  But  when 
he  saw  many  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  coming  for 
baptism,  he  said  to  them, 

“You  brood  of  snakes!  Who  warned  you  to  escape  from 
the  wrath  that  is  coming  ?  Then  produce  fruit  that  will  be 
consistent  with  your  professed  repentance!  Do  not  suppose 
that  you  can  say  to  yourselves,  ‘We  have  Abraham  for  our 
forefather,’  for  I  tell  you  God  can  produce  descendants  for 
Abraham  right  out  of  these  stones!  But  the  axe  is  already 
lying  at  the  roots  of  the  trees.  Any  tree  that  fails  to  produce 
good  fruit  is  going  to  be  cut  down  and  thrown  into  the  fire. 
I  am  baptizing  you  in  water  in  token  of  your  repentance,  but 
he  who  is  coming  after  me  is  stronger  than  I  am,  and  I  am 
not  fit  to  carry  his  shoes.  He  will  baptize  you  in  the  holy 
Spirit  and  in  fire.  His  winnowing  fork  is  in  his  hand,  and  he 
will  clean  up  his  threshing-floor,  and  store  his  wheat  in  his 
barn,  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  inextinguishable 
fire.” 

2:23-3:12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  5 


Then  Jesus  came  from  Galilee  to  the  Jordan,  to  John,  to 
be  baptized  by  him.  But  John  dissuaded  him,  and  said, 

“I  need  to  be  baptized  by  you,  and  do  you  come  to  me  ?” 

But  Jesus  answered, 

“Let  it  be  so  this  time,  for  it  is  right  for  us  to  do  everything 
that  God  requires.” 

Then  John  consented.  And  when  Jesus  was  baptized, 
he  went  right  up  out  of  the  water,  and  the  heavens  opened, 
and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  come  down  like  a  dove  and  light 
upon  him,  and  a  voice  from  heaven  said, 

“This  is  my  Son,  my  Beloved!  This  is  my  Chosen.” 

Then  Jesus  was  guided  by  the  Spirit  into  the  desert,  to  be 
tempted  by  the  devil.  And  he  fasted  forty  days  and  nights, 
and  after  it  he  was  famished.  And  the  tempter  came  up 
and  said  to  him, 

“If  you  are  God’s  son,  tell  these  stones  to  turn  into 
bread!”  But  he  answered, 

“The  Scripture  says,  ‘Not  on  bread  alone  is  man  to  live, 
but  on  every  word  that  comes  from  the  mouth  of  God!’” 

Then  the  devil  took  him  to  the  holy  city,  and  made  him 
stand  on  the  summit  of  the  Temple,  and  said  to  him, 

“If  you  are  God’s  son,  throw  yourself  down,  for  the 
Scripture  says, 

“  ‘He  will  give  his  angels  orders  about  you, 

And  they  will  lift  you  up  with  their  hands 

So  that  you  may  never  strike  your  foot  against  a  stone!’” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“The  Scripture  also  says,  ‘You  shall  not  try  the  Lord 
your  God.’  ” 

Again  the  devil  took  him  to  a  very  high  mountain,  and 
he  showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  and  their 
splendor,  and  said  to  him, 

“I  will  give  all  this  to  you,  if  you  will  fall  on  your  knees 
and  do  homage  to  me.” 

Then  Jesus  3aid  to  him, 

“Begone,  Satan!  For  the  Scripture  says,  ‘You  must 
do  homage  to  the  Lord  your  God,  and  worship  him  alone!” 

Then  the  devil  left  him,  and  angels  came  and  waited 
on  him. 


3:13-4:11 


6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  when  Jesus  heard  that  John  had  been  arrested,  he 
retreated  to  Galilee.  And  he  left  Nazareth  and  went  and 
settled  in  Capernaum,  by  the  sea,  in  the  district  of  Zebulon 
and  Naphtali,  in  fulfilment  of  what  was  said  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah, 

“Zebulon’s  land,  and  Naphtali’s  land, 

Along  the  road  to  the  sea,  across  the  Jordan, 

Galilee  of  the  nations! 

The  people  that  were  living  in  darkness 

Have  seen  a  great  light, 

And  on  those  who  were  living  in  the  land  of  the  shadow 
of  death 

A  light  has  dawned!” 

From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach  and  say, 

“Repent!  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  coming!” 

As  he  was  walking  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  he  saw  two 
brothers,  Simon,  who  was  afterward  called  Peter,  and  his 
brother,  Andrew,  casting  a  net  into  the  sea,  for  they  were 
fishermen.  He  said  to  them, 

“Come  and  follow  me,  and  I  will  make  you  fish  for  men!” 

They  immediately  dropped  their  nets  and  went  with 
him.  And  he  went  on  a  little  farther  and  saw  two  other 
men  who  were  brothers,  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  his 
brother,  John,  in  the  boat  with  Zebedee,  their  father,  putting 
their  nets  in  order,  and  he  called  them.  And  they  immedi¬ 
ately  left  the  boat  and  their  father,  and  went  with  him. 

Then  he  went  all  over  Galilee,  teaching  in  their  synagogues 
and  proclaiming  the  good  news  of  the  kingdom,  and  curing 
any  disease  or  sickness  among  the  people.  Word  went  all 
through  Syria  about  him,  and  people  brought  to  him  all  who 
were  suffering  with  any  kind  of  disease,  or  who  were  in  great 
pain — demoniacs,  epileptics,  and  paralytics — and  he  cured 
them.  Great  crowds  followed  him  about,  from  Galilee  and 
the  Ten  Towns  and  Jerusalem  and  Judea  and  from  the  other 
side  of  the  Jordan. 

When  he  saw  the  crowds  of  people  he  went  up  on  the 
mountain.  There  he  seated  himself,  and  when  his  disciples 
had  come  up  to  him,  he  opened  his  lips  to  teach  them.  And 
he  said, 

4:12-5:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  7 


“Blessed  are  those  who  feel  their  spiritual  need,  for  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven  belongs  to  them ! 

“Blessed  are  the  mourners,  for  they  will  be  consoled! 

“Blessed  are  the  humble-minded,  for  they  will  possess 
the  land ! 

“  Blessed  are  those  who  are  hungry  and  thirsty  for  upright¬ 
ness,  for  they  will  be  satisfied! 

“Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  will  be  shown  mercy! 

“Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  will  see  God! 

“Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  for  they  will  be  called 
God’s  sons! 

“  Blessed  are  those  who  have  endured  persecution  for  their 
uprightness,  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  belongs  to  them! 

“Blessed  are  you  when  people  abuse  you,  and  persecute 
you,  and  falsely  say  everything  bad  of  you,  on  my  account. 
Be  glad  and  exult  over  it,  for  you  will  be  richly  rewarded  in 
heaven,  for  that  is  the  way  they  persecuted  the  prophets  who 
went  before  you ! 

“You  are  the  salt  of  the  earth!  But  if  salt  loses  its 
strength,  how  can  it  be  made  salt  again  ?  It  is  good  for 
nothing  but  to  be  thrown  away  and  trodden  underfoot.  You 
are  the  light  of  the  world!  A  city  that  is  built  upon  a  hill 
cannot  be  hidden.  People  do  not  light  a  lamp  and  put  it 
under  a  peck-measure;  they  put  it  on  its  stand  and  it  gives 
light  to  everyone  in  the  house.  Your  light  must  burn  in  that 
way  among  men  so  that  they  will  see  the  good  you  do,  and 
praise  your  Father  in  heaven. 

“Do  not  suppose  that  I  have  come  to  do  away  with  the 
Law  or  the  Prophets.  I  have  not  come  to  do  away  with  them 
but  to  enforce  them.  For  I  tell  you,  as  long  as  heaven  and 
earth  endure,  not  one  dotting  of  an  i  or  crossing  of  a  /  will  be 
dropped  from  the  Law  until  it  is  all  observed.  Anyone,  there¬ 
fore,  who  weakens  one  of  the  slightest  of  these  commands,  and 
teaches  others  to  do  so,  will  be  ranked  lowest  in  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven;  but  anyone  who  observes  them  and  teaches  others 
to  do  so  will  be  ranked  high  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  For 
I  tell  you  that  unless  your  uprightness  is  far  superior  to  that 
of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  you  will  never  even  enter  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven ! 


5:3-2° 


8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“You  have  heard  that  the  men  of  old  were  told  ‘You 
shall  not  murder,’  and  ‘Whoever  murders  will  have  to  answer 
to  the  court.’  But  I  tell  you  that  anyone  who  gets  angry 
with  his  brother  will  have  to  answer  to  the  court,  and  any¬ 
one  who  speaks  contemptuously  to  his  brother  will  have 
to  answer  to  the  great  council,  and  anyone  who  says  to 
his  brother  ‘You  cursed  fool!’  will  have  to  answer  for  it  in  the 
fiery  pit!  So  when  you  are  presenting  your  gift  at  the  altar, 
if  you  remember  that  your  brother  has  any  grievance 
against  you,  leave  your  gift  right  there  before  the  altar  and 
go  and  make  up  with  your  brother;  then  come  back  and 
present  your  gift.  Be  quick  and  come  to  terms  with  your 
opponent  while  you  are  on  the  way  to  court  with  him,  or  he 
may  hand  you  over  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  may  hand  you 
over  to  the  officer,  and  you  will  be  thrown  into  prison.  I  tell 
you,  you  will  never  get  out  again  until  you  have  paid  the 
last  penny! 

“You  have  heard  that  men  were  told  ‘You  shall  not  com¬ 
mit  adultery.’  But  I  tell  you  that  anyone  who  looks  at  a 
woman  with  desire  has  already  committed  adultery  with  her  in 
his  heart.  But  if  your  right  eye  makes  you  fall,  tear  it  out 
and  throw  it  away,  for  you  might  better  lose  one  part  of  your 
body  than  have  it  all  thrown  into  the  pit!  If  your  right  hand 
makes  you  fall,  cut  it  off  and  throw  it  away!  For  you  might 
better  lose  one  part  of  your  body  than  have  it  all  go  down 
to  the  pit! 

“They  were  told,  ‘Anyone  who  divorces  his  wife  must 
give  her  a  certificate  of  divorce.’  But  I  tell  you  that  anyone 
who  divorces  his  wife  on  any  ground,  except  unfaithfulness, 
makes  her  commit  adultery,  and  anyone  who  marries  her 
after  she  is  divorced  commits  adultery. 

“Again,  you  have  heard  that  the  men  of  old  were  told, 
‘You  shall  not  swear  falsely,  but  you  must  fulfil  your  oaths  to 
the  Lord.’  But  I  tell  you  not  to  swear  at  all,  either  by  heaven, 
for  it  is  God’s  throne,  or  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  his  footstool, 
or  by  Jerusalem,  for  it  is  the  city  of  the  great  king.  You  must 
not  swear  by  your  own  head,  for  you  cannot  make  one  single 
hair  white  or  black.  But  your  way  of  speaking  must  be  ‘  Y es’  or 
‘No.’  Anything  that  goes  beyond  that  comes  from  the  evil  one. 

5:21-37 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW 


9 


“You  have  heard  that  they  were  told,  ‘An  eye  for  an  eye 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth.’  But  I  tell  you  not  to  resist  injury, 
but  if  anyone  strikes  you  on  your  right  cheek,  turn  the 
other  to  him  too;  and  if  anyone  wants  to  sue  you  for  your 
shirt,  let  him  have  your  coat  too.  And  if  anyone  forces  you  to 
go  one  mile,  go  two  miles  with  him.  If  anyone  begs  from 
you,  give  to  him,  and  when  anyone  wants  to  borrow  from 
you,  do  not  turn  away. 

“You  have  heard  that  they  were  told,  ‘You  must  love 
your  neighbor  and  hate  your  enemy.’  But  I  tell  you,  love 
your  enemies  and  pray  for  your  persecutors,  so  that  you  may 
show  yourselves  true  sons  of  your  Father  in  heaven,  for  he 
makes  his  sun  rise  on  bad  and  good  alike,  and  makes  the  rain 
fall  on  the  upright  and  the  wrongdoers.  For  if  you  love  only 
those  who  love  you,  what  reward  can  you  expect  ?  Do  not 
the  very  tax-collectors  do  that  ?  And  if  you  are  polite  to 
your  brothers  and  no  one  else,  what  is  there  remarkable  in 
that  ?  Do  not  the  very  heathen  do  that  ?  So  you  are  to  be 
perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is. 

“But  take  care  not  to  do  your  good  deeds  in  public  for 
people  to  see,  for,  if  you  do,  you  will  get  no  reward  from  your 
Father  in  heaven.  So  when  you  are  going  to  give  to  charity, 
do  not  blow  a  trumpet  before  yourself,  as  the  hypocrites  do, 
in  the  synagogues  and  the  streets,  to  make  people  praise  them. 
I  tell  you,  that  is  all  the  reward  they  will  get!  But  when 
you  give  to  charity,  your  own  left  hand  must  not  know 
what  your  right  hand  is  doing,  so  that  your  charity  may  be 
secret,  and  your  Father  who  sees  what  is  secret  will  reward 
you. 

“When  you  pray,  you  must  not  be  like  the  hypocrites, 
for  they  like  to  pray  standing  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the 
corners  of  the  squares,  to  let  people  see  them.  I  tell  you, 
that  is  the  only  reward  they  will  get!  But  when  you  pray, 
go  into  your  own  room,  and  shut  the  door,  and  pray  to  your 
Father  who  is  unseen,  and  your  Father  who  sees  what  is  secret 
will  reward  you.  And  when  you  pray,  do  not  repeat  empty 
phrases  as  the  heathen  do,  for  they  imagine  that  their  prayers 
will  be  heard  if  they  use  words  enough.  You  must  not  be 
like  them.  For  God,  who  is  your  Father,  knows  what  you 

5:38-6:8 


IO 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


need  before  you  ask  him.  This,  therefore,  is  the  way  you  are 
to  pray: 

‘Our  Father  in  heaven, 

Your  name  be  revered! 

Your  kingdom  come! 

Your  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven! 

Give  us  today  bread  for  the  day, 

And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  have  forgiven  our  debtors. 

And  do  not  subject  us  to  temptation, 

But  save  us  from  the  evil  one.’ 

For  if  you  forgive  others  when  they  offend  you,  your  heavenly 
Father  will  forgive  you  too.  But  if  you  do  not  forgive  others 
when  they  offend  you,  your  heavenly  Father  will  not  forgive 
you  for  your  offenses. 

“When  you  fast,  do  not  put  on  a  gloomy  look,  like  the 
hypocrites,  for  they  neglect  their  personal  appearance  to  let 
people  see  that  they  are  fasting.  I  tell  you*  that  is  all  the 
reward  they  will  get.  But  when  you  fast,  perfume  your 
hair  and  wash  your  face,  so  that  no  one  may  see  that  you 
are  fasting,  except  your  Father  who  is  unseen,  and  your 
Father  who  sees  what  is  secret,  will  reward  you. 

“Do  not  store  up  your  riches  on  earth,  where  moths  and 
rust  destroy  them,  and  where  thieves  break  in  and  steal  them, 
but  store  up  your  riches  in  heaven,  where  moths  and  rust 
cannot  destroy  them,  and  where  thieves  cannot  break  in  and 
steal  them.  For  wherever  your  treasure  is,  your  heart  will 
be  also.  The  eye  is  the  lamp  of  the  body.  If  then  your  eye 
is  sound,  your  whole  body  will  be  light,  but  if  your  eye  is 
unsound,  your  whole  body  will  be  dark.  If,  therefore,  your 
very  light  is  darkness,  how  deep  the  darkness  will  be!  No 
slave  can  belong  to  two  masters,  for  he  will  either  hate  one  and 
love  the  other,  or  stand  by  one  and  make  light  of  the  other. 
You  cannot  serve  God  and  money.  Therefore,  I  tell  you, 
do  not  worry  about  life,  wondering  what  you  will  have  to  eat 
or  drink,  or  about  your  body,  wondering  what  you  will  have 
to  wear.  Is  not  life  more  important  than  food,  and  the  body 
than  clothes  ?  Look  at  the  wild  birds.  They  do  not  sow  or 
reap,  or  store  their  food  in  barns,  and  yet  your  heavenly 
Father  feeds  them.  Are  you  not  of  more  account  than  they  ? 

6 : 9—26 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  n 


But  which  of  you  with  all  his  worry  can  add  a  single  hour  to  his 
life  ?  Why  should  you  worry  about  clothing  ?  See  how  the 
wild  flowers  grow.  They  do  not  toil  or  spin,  and  yet  I  tell  you, 
even  Solomon  in  all  his  splendor  was  never  dressed  like  one  of 
them.  But  if  God  so  beautifully  dresses  the  wild  grass,  which 
is  alive  today  and  is  thrown  into  the  furnace  tomorrow,  will  he 
not  much  more  surely  clothe  you,  you  who  have  so  little  faith  ? 
So  do  not  worry  and  say,  ‘What  shall  we  have  to  eat  ?’  or 
‘What  shall  we  have  to  drink  ?’  or  ‘What  shall  we  have  to 
wear  ?’  For  these  are  all  things  the  heathen  are  in  pursuit  of, 
and  your  heavenly  Father  knows  well  that  you  need  all 
this.  But  you  must  make  his  kingdom,  and  uprightness 
before  him,  your  greatest  care,  and  you  will  have  all  these 
other  things  besides.  So  do  not  worry  about  tomorrow,  for 
tomorrow  will  have  worries  of  its  own.  Let  each  day  be 
content  with  its  own  ills. 

“Pass  no  more  judgments  upon  other  people,  so  that  you 
may  not  have  judgment  passed  upon  you.  For  you  will  be 
judged  by  the  standard  you  judge  by,  and  men  will  pay  you 
back  with  the  same  measure  you  have  used  with  them.  Why 
do  you  keep  looking  at  the  speck  in  your  brother’s  eye,  and 
pay  no  attention  to  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own  ?  How  can 
you  say  to  your  brother,  ‘Just  let  me  get  that  speck  out  of 
your  eye,’  when  all  the  time  there  is  a  beam  in  your  own? 
You  hypocrite!  First  get  the  beam  out  of  your  own  eye, 
and  then  you  can  see  to  get  the  speck  out  of  your  brother’s 
eye. 

“Do  not  give  what  is  sacred  to  dogs,  and  do  not  throw 
your  pearls  before  pigs,  or  they  will  trample  them  under  their 
feet  and  turn  and  tear  you  in  pieces.  Ask,  and  what  you 
ask  will  be  given  you.  Search,  and  you  will  find  what  you 
search  for.  Knock,  and  the  door  will  open  to  you.  For  it 
is  always  the  one  who  asks  who  receives,  and  the  one  who 
searches  who  finds,  and  the  one  who  knocks  to  whom  the  door 
opens.  Which  of  you  men  when  his  son  asks  him  for  some 
bread  will  give  him  a  stone  ?  Or  if  he  asks  for  a  fish,  will  he 
give  him  a  snake  ?  So  if  you,  bad  as  you  are,  know  enough 
to  give  your  children  what  is  good,  how  much  more  surely 
will  your  Father  in  heaven  give  what  is  good  to  those  who 

6 : 27-7 : 1 1 


12 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


ask  him  for  it!  Therefore,  you  must  always  treat  other 
people  as  you  would  like  to  have  them  treat  you,  for  this  sums 
up  the  Law  and  the  Prophets. 

“Go  in  at  the  narrow  gate.  For  the  road  that  leads  to 
destruction  is  broad  and  spacious,  and  there  are  many  who 
go  in  by  it.  But  the  gate  is  narrow  and  the  road  is  hard 
that  leads  to  life,  and  there  are  few  that  find  it. 

“Beware  of  the  false  prophets,  who  come  to  you  disguised 
as  sheep  but  are  ravenous  wolves  underneath.  You  can  tell 
them  by  their  fruit.  Do  people  pick  grapes  off  thorns,  or  figs 
off  thistles  ?  Just  so  any  sound  tree  bears  good  fruit,  but 
a  poor  tree  bears  bad  fruit.  No  sound  tree  can  bear  bad  fruit, 
and  no  poor  tree  can  bear  good  fruit.  Any  tree  that  does  not 
bear  good  fruit  is  cut  down  and  burned.  So  you  can  tell 
them  by  their  fruit.  It  is  not  everyone  who  says  to  me  ‘  Lord ! 
Lord!’  who  will  get  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  but  only 
those  who  do  the  will  of  my  Father  in  heaven.  Many  will 
say  to  me  on  that  Day,  ‘Lord!  Lord!  Was  it  not  in  your 
name  that  we  prophesied,  and  by  your  name  that  we  drove 
out  demons,  and  by  your  name  that  we  did  many  mighty 
acts?’  Then  I  will  say  to  them  plainly,  ‘I  never  knew 
you!  Go  away  from  me,  you  who  do  wrong!’ 

“Everyone,  therefore,  who  listens  to  this  teaching  of  mine 
and  acts  upon  it,  will  be  like  a  sensible  man  who  built  his  house 
on  rock.  And  the  rain  fell,  and  the  rivers  rose,  and  the 
winds  blew,  and  beat  about  that  house,  and  it  did  not  go  down, 
for  its  foundations  were  on  rock.  And  anyone  who  listens 
to  this  teaching  of  mine  and  does  not  act  upon  it,  will  be  like 
a  foolish  man  who  built  his  house  on  sand.  And  the 
rain  fell  and  the  rivers  rose,  and  the  winds  blew  and  beat 
about  that  house,  and  it  went  down,  and  its  downfall  was 
complete.” 

When  Jesus  had  finished  this  discourse,  the  crowds  were 
astounded  at  his  teaching,  for  he  taught  them  like  one  who  had 
authority  and  not  like  their  scribes. 

When  Jesus  came  down  from  the  mountain,  great  crowds 
of  people  followed  him.  And  a  leper  came  up  to  him  and  fell 
on  his  knees  before  him,  saying, 

“If  you  only  choose,  sir,  you  can  cure  me!” 

7:12-8:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  13 


So  he  stretched  out  his  hand  and  touched  him,  saying, 

“I  do  choose!  Be  cured!” 

And  his  leprosy  was  immediately  cured.  Then  Jesus 
said  to  him, 

“See  that  you  tell  nobody,  but  go!  Show  yourself  to 
the  priest,  and  in  proof  of  your  cure,  offer  the  gift  that 
Moses  prescribed.” 

When  he  got  back  to  Capernaum,  a  Roman  captain 
came  up  and  appealed  to  him,  saying, 

“My  servant,  sir,  is  lying  sick  with  paralysis  at  my 
house,  in  great  distress.” 

He  said  to  him, 

“I  will  come  and  cure  him.” 

But  the  captain  answered, 

“I  am  not  a  suitable  person,  sir,  to  have  you  come 
under  my  roof,  but  simply  say  the  word,  and  my  servant 
will  be  cured.  For  I  am  myself  under  the  orders  of  others 
and  I  have  soldiers  under  me,  and  I  tell  one  to  go,  and  he  goes, 
and  another  to  come,  and  he  comes,  and  my  slave  to  do 
something,  and  he  does  it.” 

When  Jesus  heard  this  he  was  astonished,  and  said  to 
his  followers, 

“I  tell  you,  I  have  not  found  anyone  in  Israel  with  such 
faith  as  this.  And  I  tell  you,  many  will  come  from  the  east 
and  from  the  west  and  take  their  places  at  the  feast  with 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  while 
the  heirs  to  the  kingdom  will  be  driven  into  the  darkness 
outside,  there  to  weep  and  grind  their  teeth!” 

Then  Jesus  said  to  the  captain, 

“Go!  You  shall  find  it  just  as  you  believe!” 

And  the  servant  was  immediately  cured. 

Jesus  went  into  Peter’s  house,  and  there  he  found  Peter’s 
mother-in-law  sick  in  bed  with  fever.  And  he  touched  her 
hand  and  the  fever  left  her,  and  she  got  up  and  waited  on  him. 

In  the  evening  they  brought  to  him  many  who  were 
possessed  by  demons,  and  he  drove  the  spirits  out  with  a  word, 
and  cured  all  who  were  sick,  in  fulfilment  of  the  words  of 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  “He  took  our  sickness  and  carried  away 
our  diseases.” 


8:3-17 


14 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

U 

Then  Jesus,  seeing  a  crowd  about  him,  gave  orders  to 
cross  to  the  other  side.  And  a  scribe  came  up  and  said  to 
him, 

“Master,  I  will  follow  you  wherever  you  are  going!” 

And  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“  Foxes  have  holes  and  wild  birds  have  nests,  but  the  Son 
of  Man  has  nowhere  to  lay  his  head!” 

And  another  of  his  disciples  said  to  him, 

“Let  me  first  go,  sir,  and  bury  my  father.” 

But  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Follow  me,  and  leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own  dead!” 

And  he  got  into  the  boat,  and  his  disciples  went  with  him. 
And  suddenly  a  terrific  storm  came  up  on  the  sea,  so  that 
the  waves  broke  over  the  boat,  but  he  remained  asleep. 
And  they  came  and  woke  him  up,  saying, 

“Save  us,  sir!  We  are  lost!” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“Why  are  you  afraid  ?  You  have  so  little  faith!” 

Then  he  got  up  and  reproved  the  wind  and  the  sea,  and 
there  was  a  great  calm.  And  the  men  were  amazed  and  said, 

“What  kind  of  man  is  this  ?  For  the  very  winds  and  sea 
obey  him !” 

When  he  reached  the  other  side,  in  the  region  of  Gadara, 
two  men  possessed  by  demons  came  out  of  the  tombs  - 
and  confronted  him;  they  were  so  extremely  violent  that 
nobody  could  go  along  that  road.  And  they  suddenly 
screamed  out, 

“What  do  you  want  of  us,  you  Son  of  God  ?  Have  you 
come  here  before  the  appointed  time  to  torture  us  ?” 

Now  at  some  distance  from  them  there  was  a  great  drove 
of  pigs  feeding.  And  the  demons  entreated  him,  saying, 

“If  you  are  going  to  drive  us  out,  send  us  into  the  drove 
of  pigs.” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“  Begone!” 

And  they  came  out  and  went  into  the  pigs.  And  suddenly 
the  whole  drove  rushed  over  the  steep  bank  into  the  sea,  and 
perished  in  the  water.  And  the  men  who  tended  them  ran 
away  and  went  off  to  the  town  and  told  it  all,  and  the  news 

8:18-33 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  15 


about  the  men  possessed  by  demons.  And  the  whole  town 
came  out  to  meet  Jesus,  and  when  they  saw  him  they  begged 
him  to  go  away  from  their  district. 

So  he  got  into  the  boat  and  crossed  the  sea,  and  returned 
to  his  own  city. 

Some  people  came  bringing  to  him  on  a  bed  a  man  who 
was  paralyzed.  Seeing  their  faith,  Jesus  said  to  the  man, 
“Courage,  my  son!  Your  sins  are  forgiven.” 

Some  of  the  scribes  said  to  themselves, 

“This  man  is  talking  blasphemy!” 

Jesus  knew  what  they  were  thinking,  and  he  said, 

“Why  do  you  have  such  wicked  thoughts  in  your  hearts  ? 
For  which  is  easier,  to  say  ‘Your  sins  are  forgiven,’  or  to 
say,  ‘Get  up  and  walk’  ?  But  I  would  have  you  know  that 
the  Son  of  Man  has  authority  to  forgive  sins  on  earth.” 
Then  he  said  to  the  paralytic, 

“Get  up,  pick  up  your  bed  and  go  home!” 

And  he  got  up  and  went  home.  And  when  the  crowd 
saw  it,  they  were  filled  with  awe,  and  praised  God  for 
giving  such  power  to  men. 

Afterward,  as  Jesus  was  passing  along,  he  saw  a  man 
called  Matthew  sitting  at  the  tollhouse,  and  he  said  to  him, 
“Follow  me!” 

And  he  got  up  and  followed  him. 

While  Jesus  was  at  home  at  table,  a  number  of  tax- 
collectors  and  irreligious  people  came  in  and  joined  Jesus 
and  his  disciples  at  table.  And  the  Pharisees  observed  it, 
and  they  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Why  does  your  master  eat  with  tax-collectors  and 
irreligious  people  ?” 

But  he  heard  it,  and  said, 

“It  is  not  well  people  but  the  sick  who  have  to  have 
the  doctor!  You  must  go  and  learn  what  the  saying  means, 
‘It  is  mercy,  not  sacrifice,  that  I  care  for.’  I  did  not  come 
to  invite  the  pious  but  the  irreligious.” 

Then  the  disciples  of  John  came  up  to  him  and  said, 
“Why  is  it  that  we  and  the  Pharisees  are  keeping  the 
fast,  while  your  disciples  are  not  keeping  it  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 


8:34-9:15 


1 6  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

j 

“Can  wedding  guests  mourn  as  long  as  the  bridegroom 
is  with  them  ?  But  a  time  will  come  when  the  bridegroom 
will  be  taken  from  them,  and  they  will  fast  then.  But  no  one 
sews  a  patch  of  unshrunken  cloth  on  an  old  coat,  for  the  patch 
will  tear  away  from  the  coat,  and  make  the  hole  worse  than 
ever.  And  people  do  not  put  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins, 
or  if  they  do,  the  skins  burst,  and  the  wine  runs  out  and  the 
skins  are  spoiled.  But  people  put  new  wine  into  fresh  wine¬ 
skins,  and  so  both  are  saved.” 

Just  as  he  said  this  to  them,  an  official  came  up  and 
bowing  low  before  him  said  to  him, 

“  My  daughter  has  just  died.  But  come!  Lay  your  hand 
on  her  and  she  will  come  to  life!” 

And  Jesus  got  up  and  followed  him,  with  his  disciples. 
And  a  woman  who  had  had  a  hemorrhage  for  twelve  years 
came  up  behind  him  and  touched  the  tassel  of  his  cloak. 
For  she  said  to  herself,  “If  I  can  just  touch  his  cloak,  I 
will  get  well.”  And  Jesus  turned  and  saw  her,  and  he 
said, 

“Courage,  my  daughter!  Your  faith  has  cured  you!” 

And  from  that  time  the  woman  was  well. 

When  Jesus  reached  the  official’s  house,  and  saw  the 
flute-players  and  the  disturbance  the  crowd  was  making,  he 
said, 

“You  must  go  away,  for  the  girl  is  not  dead;  she  is 
asleep.”  And  they  laughed  at  him.  But  when  he  had 
driven  the  people  out,  he  went  in  and  grasped  her  hand,  and 
the  girl  got  up.  And  the  news  of  this  spread  all  over  that 
part  of  the  country. 

As  Jesus  was  passing  along  from  there,  two  blind  men 
followed  him,  calling  out, 

“Take  pity  on  us,  you  Son  of  David!” 

When  he  had  gone  indoors,  the  blind  men  came  up  to 
him,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“  Do  you  believe  that  I  can  do  this  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Yes,  sir.” 

Then  he  touched  their  eyes  and  said, 

“You  shall  have  what  your  faith  expects.” 

9 : 1 6—29 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  17 


And  their  sight  was  restored.  Jesus  warned  them 
sternly  not  to  let  anyone  hear  of  it.  But  they  went  out  and 
spread  the  news  about  him  all  over  that  part  of  the  country. 

But  just  as  they  were  going  out,  some  people  brought 
to  him  a  dumb  man  who  was  possessed  with  a  demon,  and  as 
soon  as  the  demon  was  driven  out,  the  dumb  man  was  able  to 
speak.  And  the  crowds  were  amazed,  and  said, 

“Nothing  like  this  was  ever  seen  in  Israel!” 

But  the  Pharisees  said, 

“It  is  by  the  aid  of  the  prince  of  the  demons  that  he 
drives  them  out.” 

Jesus  went  round  among  all  the  towns  and  villages, 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  proclaiming  the  good  news 
of  the  kingdom,  and  curing  any  disease  or  illness. 

But  the  sight  of  the  crowds  of  people  filled  him  with 
pity  for  them,  because  they  were  bewildered  and  dejected, 
like  sheep  that  have  no  shepherd.  Then  he  said  to  his 
disciples, 

“The  harvest  is  abundant  enough,  but  the  reapers  are  few. 
So  pray  to  the  owner  of  the  harvest  to  send  reapers  to 
gather  it.” 

Then  he  called  his  twelve  disciples  to  him,  and  gave  them 
power  over  the  foul  spirits  so  that  they  could  drive  them  out, 
and  so  that  they  could  heal  any  disease  or  illness. 

These  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles:  first,  Simon, 
who  was  called  Peter,  and  his  brother  Andrew,  and  James 
the  son  of  Zebedee  and  his  brother  John,  Philip  and 
Bartholomew,  Thomas  and  Matthew  the  tax-collector,  James 
the  son  of  Alpheus  and  Thaddeus,  Simon  the  Zealot  and 
Judas  Iscariot  who  afterward  betrayed  him. 

Jesus  sent  these  twelve  out,  after  giving  them  these 
directions: 

“Do  not  go  among  the  heathen,  or  to  any  Samaritan 
town,  but  proceed  instead  to  the  lost  sheep  of  Israel’s 
house.  And  as  you  go  about,  preach  and  say,  ‘The  Kingdom 
of  Heaven  is  at  hand!’  Cure  the  sick,  raise  the  dead,  heal 
lepers,  drive  out  demons.  Give  without  payment,  just  as  you 
received  without  payment.  Do  not  accept  gold  or  silver  or 
copper  money  to  put  in  your  pockets,  and  do  not  take  a  bag 

9:30-10: 10 


i8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


for  your  journey,  nor  two  shirts,  nor  shoes,  nor  a  staff,  for 
the  workman  deserves  his  food!  Whatever  town  or  village 
you  come  to,  inquire  for  some  suitable  person,  and  stay  wfith 
him  till  you  leave  the  place.  And  as  you  go  into  his  house, 
wish  it  well.  If  the  house  deserves  it,  the  peace  you  wish  it 
will  come  over  it,  but  if  it  does  not  deserve  it,  your  blessing 
will  come  back  upon  yourselves.  And  where  no  one  will  wel¬ 
come  you,  or  listen  to  you,  leave  that  house  or  town  and  shake 
off  its  very  dust  from  your  feet.  I  tell  you,  the  land  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  will  fare  better  on  the  Day  of  Judgment  than 
that  town. 

“Here  I  am  sending  you  out  like  sheep  among  wolves. 
So  you  must  be  wise  like  serpents,  and  guileless  like  doves. 
But  be  on  your  guard  against  men,  for  they  will  give  you  up 
to  their  courts,  and  have  you  flogged  in  their  synagogues, 
and  you  will  be  brought  before  governors  and  kings  on  my 
account,  to  bear  your  testimony  before  them  and  the  heathen. 
But  when  they  give  you  up,  you  must  have  no  anxiety  about 
how  to  speak  or  what  to  say,  for  you  will  be  told  at  the  very 
moment  what  you  ought  to  say,  for  it  is  not  you  who  will 
speak,  it  is  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  that  will  speak  through 
you.  One  brother  will  give  up  another  to  death,  and  a  father 
his  child,  and  children  will  turn  against  their  parents,  and  have 
them  put  to  death.  You  will  be  hated  by  everybody  on  my 
account,  but  the  man  who  holds  out  to  the  very  end  will  be 
saved.  But  when  they  persecute  you  in  one  town,  make 
your  escape  to  another,  for  I  tell  you,  you  will  not  have  gone 
through  all  the  towns  of  Israel  before  the  Son  of  Man  arrives. 
A  pupil  is  not  better  than  his  teacher,  nor  a  slave  better  than 
his  master.  A  pupil  should  be  satisfied  to  come  to  be  like 
his  teacher,  or  a  slave  to  come  to  be  like  his  master.  If 
men  have  called  the  head  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how 
much  worse  names  will  they  give  to  the  members  of  his 
household!  So  do  not  be  afraid  of  them.  For  there 
is  nothing  covered  up  that  is  not  going  to  be  uncovered, 
nor  secret  that  is  not  going  to  be  known.  What  I  tell 
you  in  the  dark  you  must  say  in  the  light,  and  what 
you  hear  whispered  in  your  ear,  you  must  proclaim  from  the 
housetops.  Have  no  fear  of  those  who  kill  the  body,  but 

10:11-28 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  19 


cannot  kill  the  soul.  You  had  better  be  afraid  of  one  who  can 
destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  the  pit.  Do  not  sparrows  sell 
two  for  a  cent  ?  And  yet  not  one  of  them  can  fall  to  the 
ground  against  your  Father’s  will!  But  the  very  hairs  on 
your  heads  are  all  counted.  You  must  not  be  afraid;  you 
are  worth  more  than  a  great  many  sparrows!  Therefore 
everyone  who  will  acknowledge  me  before  men  I  will  acknowl¬ 
edge  before  my  Father  in  heaven,  but  anyone  who  disowns  me 
before  men,  I  will  disown  before  my  Father  in  heaven. 

“Do  not  think  that  I  have  come  to  bring  peace  to  the 
earth.  I  have  not  come  to  bring  peace  but  a  sword.  For  I 
have  come  to  turn  a  man  against  his  father  and  a  daughter 
against  her  mother  and  a  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother- 
in-law,  and  a  man’s  enemies  will  be  in  his  own  household.  No 
one  who  loves  father  or  mother  more  than  he  loves  me  is 
worthy  of  me,  and  no  one  who  loves  son  or  daughter  more 
than  he  loves  me  is  worthy  of  me,  and  no  one  who  will  not 
take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me  is  worthy  of  me.  Whoever 
gains  his  life  will  lose  it,  and  whoever  loses  his  life  for  my  sake 
will  gain  it. 

“Whoever  welcomes  you  welcomes  me,  and  whoever 
welcomes  me  welcomes  him  who  has  sent  me.  Whoever 
welcomes  a  prophet  because  he  is  a  prophet  will  have  the 
same  reward  as  a  prophet,  and  whoever  welcomes  an  upright 
man  because  he  is  upright  will  have  the  same  reward  as  an 
upright  man.  And  no  one  who  will  give  the  humblest  of 
my  disciples  even  a  cup  of  cold  water  because  he  is  my  disciple, 
I  tell  you,  can  ever  fail  of  his  reward.” 

When  Jesus  had  finished  giving  his  twelve  disciples 
these  instructions,  he  went  on  from  there  to  teach  and  preach 
in  their  towns. 

Now  when  John  heard  in  prison  of  what  the  Christ  was 
doing,  he  sent  by  his  disciples  and  said  to  him, 

“Are  you  the  one  who  was  to  come,  or  should  we  look 
for  someone  else  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Go  and  report  to  John  what  you  hear  and  see.  The 
blind  are  regaining  their  sight  and  the  lame  can  walk,  the 
lepers  are  being  cured  and  the  deaf  can  hear,  the  dead  are 

10:29-11:5 


20 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


being  raised  and  good  news  is  being  preached  to  the  poor. 
And  blessed  is  the  man  who  finds  nothing  that  repels  him 

•  y  y 

in  me. 

But  as  they  were  going  away,  Jesus  began  to  speak  to  the 
crowds  about  John. 

“What  was  it  that  you  went  out  into  the  desert  to  look 
at  ?  A  reed  swaying  in  the  wind  ?  Then  what  did  you  go 
out  there  to  see  ?  A  man  luxuriously  dressed  ?  Men  who 
dress  in  that  way  you  find  in  the  palaces  of  kings.  Then 
why  did  you  go  out  there  ?  Was  it  to  see  a  prophet  ?  Yes, 
I  tell  you,  and  far  more  than  a  prophet!  This  is  the  man  of 
whom  the  Scripture  says, 

“‘Here  I  send  my  messenger  on  before  you; 

He  will  prepare  the  road  ahead  of  you.’ 

“I  tell  you,  among  men  born  of  women  no  one  greater 
than  John  the  Baptist  has  ever  appeared.  And  yet  those 
who  are  of  little  importance  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  are 
greater  than  he.  But  from  the  time  of  John  the  Baptist  until 
now  men  have  been  taking  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  by 
storm  and  impetuously  crowding  into  it.  For  up  to  the 
time  of  John  all  the  Prophets  and  the  Law  itself  prophesied 
about  it,  and,  if  you  are  ready  to  accept  the  idea,  he  is  himself 
Elijah  who  was  to  come.  Let  him  who  has  ears  listen! 
But  to  what  can  I  compare  this  present  age?  It  is  like 
children  sitting  about  in  the  bazaars  and  calling  out  to  their 
playmates, 

“  ‘  We  have  played  the  flute  for  you,  and  you  would  not  dance ! 

We  have  wailed  and  you  would  not  beat  your  breasts!’ 

For  when  John  came,  he  neither  ate  nor  drank,  and  people 
said,  ‘He  has  a  demon!’  Now  that  the  Son  of  Man  has 
come,  he  does  eat  and  drink,  and  people  say,  ‘Look  at  him! 
A  glutton  and  a  drinker,  the  companion  of  tax-collectors  and 
irreligious  people!’  And  yet  Wisdom  is  vindicated  by  her 
actions!” 

Then  he  began  to  reproach  the  towns  in  which  his 
numerous  wonders  had  been  done,  because  they  did  not 
repent. 

“Alas  for  you,  Chorazin!  Alas  for  you,  Bethsaida! 
For  if  the  wonders  that  have  been  done  in  you  had  been  done 

11:6-21 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  11 


in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes  long  ago!  But  I  tell  you,  Tyre  and  Sidon  will  fare 
better  on  the  Day  of  Judgment  than  you  will!  And  you, 
Capernaum!  Are  you  to  be  exalted  to  the  skies?  You 
will  go  down  among  the  dead!  For  if  the  wonders  that  have 
been  done  in  you  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  would  have  stood 
until  today.  But  I  tell  you  that  the  land  of  Sodom  will  fare 
better  on  the  Day  of  Judgment  than  you  will!” 

At  that  same  time  Jesus  said, 

“I  thank  you,  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  for 
hiding  all  this  from  the  learned  and  intelligent  and  revealing 
it  to  children.  Yes,  I  thank  you,  Father,  for  choosing  to 
have  it  so.  Everything  has  been  handed  over  to  me  by  my 
Father,  and  no  one  understands  the  Son  but  the  Father,  nor 
does  anyone  understand  the  Father  but  the  Son  and  anyone 
to  whom  the  Son  chooses  to  reveal  him.  Come  to  me,  all 
of  you  who  toil  and  are  burdened,  and  I  will  let  you  rest. 
Let  my  yoke  be  put  upon  you,  and  learn  from  me,  for  I  am 
gentle  and  humble-minded,  and  your  hearts  will  find  rest, 
for  the  yoke  I  offer  you  is  a  kindly  one,  and  the  load  I  ask 
you  to  bear  is  light.” 

At  that  same  time  Jesus  walked  one  Sabbath  through  the 
wheat  fields,  and  his  disciples  became  hungry  and  began  to 
pick  the  heads  of  wheat  and  eat  them.  But  the  Pharisees 
saw  it  and  said  to  him, 

“Look!  Your  disciples  are  doing  something  which  it 
is  against  the  Law  to  do  on  the  Sabbath!” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“Did  you  never  read  what  David  did,  when  he  and  his 
companions  were  hungry  ?  How  is  it  that  he  went  into  the 
House  of  God  and  that  they  ate  the  Presentation  Loaves 
which  it  was  against  the  Law  for  him  and  his  companions 
to  eat,  or  for  anyone  except  the  priests  ?  Or  did  you  never 
read  in  the  Law  how  the  priests  in  the  Temple  are  not  guilty 
when  they  break  the  Sabbath  ?  But  I  tell  you,  there  is 
something  greater  than  the  Temple  here!  But  if  you  knew 
what  the  saying  means,  ‘It  is  mercy,  not  sacrifice,  that  I 
care  for,’  you  would  not  have  condemned  men  who  are  not 
guilty.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  master  of  the  Sabbath.” 

11:22-12:8 


22 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  he  left  the  place  and  went  into  their  synagogue. 
There  was  a  man  there  with  one  hand  withered.  And 
in  order  to  get  a  charge  to  bring  against  him,  they  asked  him, 

“Is  it  right  to  cure  people  on  the  Sabbath  ?” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“Who  among  you  if  he  has  even  a  single  sheep  and  it 
falls  into  a  hole  on  the  Sabbath,  will  not  take  hold  of  it  and 
lift  it  out  ?  And  how  much  more  a  man  is  worth  than  a  sheep! 
Therefore,  it  is  right  to  do  people  good  on  the  Sabbath.” 

Then  he  said  to  the  man, 

“Hold  out  your  hand!” 

And  he  held  it  out,  and  it  was  restored  and  became  as 
well  as  the  other.  But  the  Pharisees  left  the  synagogue 
and  consulted  about  him,  with  a  view  to  putting  him  to 
death. 

But  Jesus  knew  of  this,  and  he  left  that  place.  And 
numbers  of  people  followed  him  about,  and  he  cured  them 
all,  and  warned  them  not  to  say  anything  about  him — 
in  fulfilment  of  what  was  said  by  the  prophet  Isaiah, 

“Here  is  my  servant  whom  I  have  selected, 

My  beloved,  who  delights  my  heart! 

I  will  endow  him  with  my  Spirit, 

And  he  will  announce  a  judgment  to  the  heathen. 

He  will  not  wrangle  or  make  an  outcry, 

And  no  one  will  hear  his  voice  in  the  streets; 

He  will  not  break  off  a  bent  reed, 

And  he  will  not  put  out  a  smoldering  wick, 

Until  he  carries  his  judgment  to  success. 

The  heathen  will  rest  their  hopes  on  his  name!” 

At  that  time  some  people  brought  to  him  a  man  blind 
and  dumb,  who  was  possessed  with  a  demon,  and  he  cured 
him,  so  that  the  dumb  man  could  speak  and  see.  And  all  the 
crowds  of  people  were  astounded,  and  said, 

“Can  this  be  the  Son  of  David  ?” 

But  when  the  Pharisees  heard  of  it  they  said, 

“This  man  cannot  drive  out  demons  except  by  the  aid  of 
Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  demons.” 

But  he  knew  what  they  were  thinking,  and  he  said  to 
them, 


12:9-25 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  23 


“Any  kingdom  that  is  disunited  is  on  the  way  to  destruc¬ 
tion,  and  any  city  or  household  that  is  disunited  cannot  last. 
If  Satan  is  driving  Satan  out,  he  is  disunited,  and  so  how  can 
his  kingdom  last  ?  And  if  I  am  driving  the  demons  out 
by  Beelzebub’s  aid,  by  whose  aid  do  your  sons  drive  them  out  ? 
Therefore  let  them  be  your  judges.  But  if  I  am  driving 
the  demons  out  by  the  aid  of  God’s  Spirit,  then  the  Kingdom 
of  God  has  overtaken  you.  How  can  anyone  get  into  a  strong 
man’s  house  and  carry  off  his  property  unless  he  first  binds 
the  strong  man  ?  After  that  he  can  plunder  his  house. 
Anyone  who  is  not  with  me  is  against  me,  and  anyone  who 
does  not  join  me  in  gathering,  scatters.  Therefore,  I  tell 
you,  men  will  be  forgiven  for  any  sin  or  abusive  speech,  but 
abusive  speech  about  the  Spirit  cannot  be  forgiven.  And 
whoever  speaks  against  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  forgiven  for  it, 
but  whoever  speaks  against  the  holy  Spirit  cannot  be  forgiven 
for  it,  either  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come. 

“You  must  either  make  the  tree  sound  and  its  fruit 
sound,  or  make  the  tree  bad  and  its  fruit  bad;  a  tree 
is  judged  by  its  fruit.  Y ou  brood  of  snakes !  how  can  you,  bad 
as  you  are,  utter  anything  good  ?  For  the  mouth  says  only 
what  the  heart  is  full  of.  A  good  man,  out  of  the  good  he  has 
accumulated,  brings  out  things  that  are  good,  and  a  bad  man, 
out  of  what  he  has  accumulated  that  is  bad,  brings  out  things 
that  are  bad.  But  I  tell  you,  for  every  careless  word  that  men 
utter  they  will  have  to  answer  on  the  Day  of  Judgment.  For 
it  is  by  your  words  that  you  will  be  acquitted,  or  by  your 
words  that  you  will  be  condemned.” 

Then  some  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  addressed  him, 
saying, 

“Master,  we  would  like  to  have  you  show  us  some  sign.” 

But  he  answered, 

“Only  a  wicked  and  faithless  age  insists  upon  a  sign,  and 
no  sign  will  be  given  it  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah. 
For  just  as  Jonah  was  in  the  maw  of  the  whale  for  three  days 
and  nights,  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  three  days  and  nights  in 
the  heart  of  the  earth.  Men  of  Nineveh  will  rise  with  this  age 
at  the  judgment  and  condemn  it,  for  when  Jonah  preached 
they  repented,  and  there  is  more  than  Jonah  here!  The 

12:26-42 


24 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


queen  of  the  south  will  rise  with  this  age  at  the  judgment 
and  condemn  it,  for  she  came  from  the  very  ends  of  the  earth 
to  listen  to  Solomon’s  wisdom,  and  there  is  more  than  Solomon 
here! 

“When  a  foul  spirit  goes  out  of  a  man,  it  roams  through 
deserts  in  search  of  rest  and  can  find  none.  Then  it  says, 
‘  I  will  go  back  to  my  house  that  I  left,’  and  it  goes  and  finds  it 
unoccupied,  cleaned,  and  all  in  order.  Then  it  goes  and  gets 
seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  itself,  and  they  go  in  and 
live  there,  and  in  the  end  the  man  is  worse  off  than  he  was 
before.  That  is  the  way  it  will  be  with  this  present  wicked 

age* 

While  he  was  still  speaking,  his  mother  and  his  brothers 
came  up  and  stood  outside  the  crowd,  wanting  to  speak  to 
him.  But  he  said  to  the  man  who  told  him, 

“Who  is  my  mother,  and  who  are  my  brothers  ?” 

And  he  pointed  to  his  disciples  and  said, 

“Here  are  my  mother  and  my  brothers!  For  whoever 
does  the  will  of  my  Father  in  heaven  is  my  brother  and 
sister  and  mother!” 

That  same  day  Jesus  went  out  of  his  house  and  was 
sitting  on  the  seashore.  And  such  great  crowds  gathered 
about  him  that  he  got  into  a  boat  and  sat  down  in  it,  while  all 
the  people  stood  on  the  shore.  And  he  told  them  many 
things  in  figures,  and  said  to  them, 

“A  sower  went  out  to  sow,  and  as  he  was  sowing,  some 
of  the  seed  fell  by  the  path  and  the  birds  came  and  ate  it  up, 
and  some  fell  on  i;ocky  ground  where  there  was  not  much  soil 
and  it  sprang  up  at  once,  because  the  soil  was  not  deep,  but 
when  the  sun  came  up  it  was  scorched  and  withered  up, 
because  it  had  no  root.  And  some  of  it  fell  among  the 
thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up  and  choked  it  out.  And 
some  fell  on  good  soil,  and  yielded  some  a  hundred,  some 
sixty,  and  some  thirty-fold.  Let  him  who  has  ears  listen!” 

His  disciples  came  up  and  said  to  him, 

“Why  do  you  speak  to  them  in  figures  ?” 

He  answered, 

“You  are  permitted  to  know  the  secrets  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven,  but  they  are  not.  For  people  who  have  will  have 

12:43-13:12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  25 


more  given  to  them,  and  will  be  plentifully  supplied,  and 
from  people  who  have  nothing  even  what  they  have  will  be 
taken  away.  This  is  why  I  speak  to  them  in  figures,  because 
though  they  look  they  do  not  see,  and  though  they  listen  they 
do  not  hear  or  understand.  They  are  a  fulfilment  of  Isaiah’s 
prophecy, 

“‘You  will  listen  and  listen,  and  never  understand, 
And  you  will  look  and  look,  and  never  see! 

For  this  nation’s  mind  has  grown  dull, 

And  they  hear  faintly  with  their  ears, 

And  they  have  shut  their  eyes, 

So  as  never  to  see  with  their  eyes, 

And  hear  with  their  ears, 

And  understand  with  their  minds,  and  turn  back, 
And  let  me  cure  them!’ 

But  blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they  do  see,  and  your  ears, 
for  they  do  hear.  For  I  tell  you,  many  prophets  and  upright 
men  have  longed  to  see  what  you  see,  and  could  not  see  it, 
and  to  hear  what  you  hear,  and  could  not  hear  it. 

“You  must  listen  closely  then  to  the  figure  of  the  sower. 
When  anyone  hears  the  teaching  of  the  kingdom  and  does 
not  understand  it,  the  evil  one  comes  and  robs  him  of  the 
seed  that  has  been  sown  in  his  mind.  That  is  what  was  sown 
along  the  path.  And  what  was  sown  upon  the  rocky  soil 
means  the  man  who  hears  the  message  and  at  once  accepts  it 
joyfully,  but  it  takes  no  real  root  in  him,  and  lasts  only  a  little 
while,  and  when  trouble  or  persecution  comes  because  of 
the  message,  he  gives  it  up  at  once.  And  what  was  sown  among 
the  thorns  means  the  man  who  listens  to  the  message,  and 
then  the  worries  of  the  time  and  the  pleasure  of  being  rich 
choke  the  message  out,  and  it  yields  nothing.  And  what  was 
sown  in  good  ground  means  the  man  who  listens  to  the 
message  and  understands  it,  and  yields  one  a  hundred,  and 
another  sixty,  and  another  thirty-fold.” 

Another  figure  which  he  used  in  speaking  to  them  was 
this: 

“The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  man  who  sowed  good 
seed  in  his  field,  but  while  people  were  asleep  his  enemy  came 


13:13-25 


1 6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


and  sowed  weeds  among  the  wheat,  and  went  away.  And 
when  the  wheat  came  up  and  ripened,  the  weeds  appeared  too. 
And  the  owner’s  slaves  came  to  him  and  said,  ‘Was  not  the 
seed  good  that  you  sowed  in  your  field,  sir  ?  So  where  did 
these  weeds  come  from  ?’  He  said  to  them,  ‘This  is  some 
enemy’s  doing.*  And  they  said  to  him,  ‘Do  you  want  us  to 
go  and  gather  them  up  ?’  But  he  said,  ‘No,  for  in  gathering 
up  the  weeds  you  may  uproot  the  wheat.  Let  them  both 
grow  together  until  harvest  time,  and  when  we  harvest  I 
will  direct  the  reapers  to  gather  up  the  weeds  first  and  tie 
them  up  in  bundles  to  burn,  but  get  the  wheat  into  my 
barn.’  ” 

Another  figure  which  he  used  in  speaking  to  them  was 
this : 

“The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  mustard  seed  which 
a  man  took  and  sowed  in  his  field.  It  is  the  smallest  of  all 
seeds,  but  when  it  is  grown  it  is  the  largest  of  plants  and 
grows  into  a  tree,  so  that  the  wild  birds  come  and  roost  in  its 
branches.” 

Another  figure  which  he  used  with  them  was  this: 

“The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  yeast,  which  a  woman 
took  and  buried  in  a  bushel  of  flour  until  it  had  all  risen.” 

Jesus  said  all  this  to  the  crowds  in  figures,  and  told 
them  nothing  except  in  figures,  to  fulfil  what  was  said  by  the 
prophet, 

“I  will  open  my  mouth  in  figures, 

I  will  utter  things  that  have  been  hidden  since  the  creation.” 

Then  he  left  the  crowds  and  went  into  his  house.  And 
his  disciples  came  up  to  him  and  said, 

“Explain  to  us  the  figure  of  the  weeds  in  the  field.” 

He  answered, 

“The  sower  who  sows  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  Man. 
The  field  is  the  world.  The  good  seed  is  the  people  of  the 
kingdom.  The  weeds  are  the  wicked.  The  enemy  who 
sowed  them  is  the  devil.  The  harvest  is  the  close  of  the  age, 
and  the  reapers  are  angels.  So  just  as  the  weeds  are  gathered 
up  and  burned,  this  is  what  will  happen  at  the  close  of  the 
age;  the  Son  of  Man  will  send  out  his  angels,  and  they  will 

13:26-41 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  27 


gather  up  out  of  his  kingdom  all  the  causes  of  sin  and  the 
wrongdoers  and  throw  them  into  the  blazing  furnace;  there 
they  will  wail  and  grind  their  teeth.  Then  the  upright  will 
shine  out  like  the  sun,  in  their  Father’s  kingdom.  Let  him 
who  has  ears  listen! 

“The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  hoard  of  money,  buried 
in  a  field,  which  a  man  found,  and  buried  again.  And  he  was 
overjoyed,  and  went  and  sold  everything  he  had  and  bought 
the  field. 

“Again,  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  dealer  in  search 
of  fine  pearls.  He  found  one  costly  pearl,  and  went  and 
sold  everything  he  had,  and  bought  it. 

“Again,  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  net  that  was 
let  down  into  the  sea,  and  inclosed  fish  of  all  kinds.  When 
it  was  full,  they  dragged  it  up  on  the  beach,  and  sat  down  and 
sorted  the  good  fish  into  baskets  and  threw  the  bad  away. 
That  is  what  will  happen  at  the  close  of  the  age.  The  angels 
will  go  out  and  remove  the  wicked  from  among  the  upright, 
and  throw  them  into  the  blazing  furnace.  There  they  will 
wail  and  grind  their  teeth. 

“Do  you  understand  all  this  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

<<  V  >> 

i  es. 

He  said  to  them, 

“Then  remember  that  every  scribe  who  has  become  a 
disciple  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  must  be  like  a  householder 
who  can  supply  from  his  storeroom  new  things  as  well  as  old.” 

When  Jesus  had  finished  these  figures,  he  left  that  place, 
and  went  to  his  own  part  of  the  country.  And  he  taught 
the  people  in  their  synagogue  in  such  a  way  that  they  were 
astonished,  and  said, 

“Where  did  he  get  this  wisdom,  and  the  power  to  do  these 
wonders  ?  Is  he  not  the  carpenter’s  son  ?  Is  not  his  mother 
named  Mary,  and  are  not  his  brothers  named  James,  Joseph, 
Simon,  and  Judas  ?  And  do  not  all  his  sisters  live  here 
among  us  ?  Then  where  did  he  get  all  this  ?” 

And  they  took  offense  at  him.  But  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“A  prophet  is  treated  with  honor  everywhere  except  in 
his  native  place  and  at  his  home.” 


13:42-57 


28 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  he  did  not  do  many  wonders  there,  because  of  their 
want  of  faith. 

At  that  time,  Herod  the  governor  heard  the  reports  about 
Jesus,  and  he  said  to  his  attendants, 

“This  man  must  be  John  the  Baptist.  He  has  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  that  is  why  wonderful  powers  are  working 
through  him.” 

For  Herod  had  seized  John  and  bound  him  and  put  him 
in  prison,  on  account  of  Herodias,  his  brother  Philip’s  wife, 
for  John  said  to  him, 

“It  is  not  right  for  you  to  be  living  with  her.” 

And  while  he  wanted  him  killed,  he  was  afraid  of  the 
people;  for  they  considered  him  a  prophet.  But  when 
Herod’s  birthday  came,  Herodias’  daughter  danced  before 
the  company.  And  Herod  was  delighted  with  her,  and  swore 
that  he  would  give  her  anything  she  asked  for.  But  she, 
at  her  mother’s  instigation,  said, 

“Give  me  John  the  Baptist’s  head  here  on  a  platter!” 

And  the  king  was  sorry,  but  because  he  had  sworn  to 
do  it,  and  because  of  the  guests  who  were  present,  he  ordered 
it  to  be  given  to  her.  And  he  sent  and  had  John  beheaded  in 
the  prison.  And  his  head  was  brought  back  on  a  platter 
and  given  to  the  girl,  and  she  took  it  to  her  mother.  John’s 
disciples  came  and  took  his  body  away,  and  buried  him,  and 
then  they  went  and  reported  it  to  Jesus. 

When  Jesus  heard  it,  he  quietly  retired  by  boat  to  a 
secluded  place.  And  the  crowds  heard  of  it  and  followed  him 
on  foot  from  the  towns.  So  when  he  got  out  of  the  boat  he 
found  a  great  crowd  gathered,  and  his  heart  was  touched  at 
the  sight  of  them,  and  he  cured  those  of  them  that  were  sick. 
And  when  it  was  evening,  the  disciples  came  up  to  him  and 
said, 

“This  is  a  lonely  place  and  the  day  is  over.  Send  the 
crowds  off  to  the  villages  to  buy  themselves  food.” 

But  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“They  do  not  need  to  go  away.  Give  them  food  your¬ 
selves.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“We  have  nothing  here  but  five  loaves  and  two  fish.” 
13:58-14:17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  29 


He  said, 

“Bring  them  here  to  me.” 

Then  he  ordered  the  crowds  to  sit  down  on  the  grass,  and 
he  took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fish  and  looked  up  to 
heaven  and  blessed  them,  and  he  broke  the  loaves  in  pieces 
and  gave  them  to  the  disciples  and  they  gave  them  to  the 
people.  And  they  all  ate  and  had  enough.  And  the  pieces 
left  over  that  they  gathered  up  filled  twelve  baskets.  There 
were  about  five  thousand  men  who  were  fed,  besides  women 
and  children. 

And  he  immediately  made  his  disciples  get  into  the  boat 
and  cross  before  him  to  the  other  side  while  he  dismissed  the 
crowds.  After  he  had  dismissed  them  he  went  up  the  hill  by 
himself  to  pray.  And  when  evening  came  on  he  was  there 
alone,  but  the  boat  was  by  this  time  a  long  way  from 
shore,  struggling  with  the  waves,  for  the  wind  was  against 
them.  Toward  morning  he  went  out  to  them,  walking  on 
the  sea.  And  the  disciples  saw  him  walking  on  the  sea,  and 
they  were  terrified  and  said, 

“It  is  a  ghost!” 

And  they  screamed  with  fear.  But  Jesus  immediately 
spoke  to  them  and  said, 

“Take  courage!  It  is  I.  Do  not  be  afraid.” 

Peter  answered, 

“If  it  is  you,  Master,  order  me  to  come  to  you  on  the  water.” 

And  he  said, 

“Come!” 

And  Peter  got  out  of  the  boat  and  walked  on  the  water 
and  went  to  Jesus.  But  when  he  felt  the  wind  he  was 
frightened,  and  beginning  to  sink,  he  cried  out, 

“Master,  save  me!” 

Jesus  immediately  stretched  out  his  hand  and  caught 
hold  of  him,  and  said  to  him. 

“Why  did  you  waver  ?  You  have  so  little  faith!” 

When  they  got  into  the  boat,  the  wind  went  down. 
And  the  men  in  the  boat  fell  down  before  him  and  said, 

“You  are  certainly  God’s  Son!” 

And  they  crossed  over  to  the  other  side  and  came  to 
Gennesaret.  And  the  men  of  the  place  recognized  him,  and 

14:18-35 


30 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


sent  all  over  that  district  and  brought  to  him  all  who  were 
sick,  and  they  begged  him  to  let  them  touch  just  the  tassel 
of  his  cloak,  and  all  who  touched  it  were  cured. 

Then  some  Pharisees  and  scribes  came  to  Jesus  from 
Jerusalem,  and  said  to  him, 

“Why  do  your  disciples  break  the  rules  handed  down 
by  our  ancestors  ?  For  they  eat  their  bread  without  first 
washing  their  hands.” 

But  he  answered, 

“Why  do  you  too  break  God’s  command  for  the  sake  of 
what  has  been  handed  down  to  you  ?  For  God  said,  ‘Honor 
your  father  and  mother,’  and  ‘He  who  abuses  his  father 
or  mother  must  be  put  to  death.’  But  you  say,  ‘Whoever 
tells  his  father  or  mother,  “Anything  of  mine  that  might  have 
been  of  use  to  you  is  given  to  God,”  does  not  have  to  provide 
for  his  father.’  So  you  have  nullified  what  God  has  said,  for 
the  sake  of  what  has  been  handed  down  to  you.  You  hypo¬ 
crites!  Isaiah  prophesied  finely  about  you  when  he  said, 
“‘This  people  honor  me  with  their  lips, 

Yet  their  hearts  are  far  away  from  me. 

But  their  worship  of  me  is  all  in  vain, 

For  the  lessons  they  teach  are  but  human  precepts.’  ” 

And  he  called  the  people  to  him  and  said  to  them, 

“Listen  to  this,  and  grasp  it!  It  is  not  what  goes  into  a 
man’s  mouth  that  pollutes  him;  it  is  what  comes  out  of  his 
mouth  that  pollutes  a  man.” 

Then  his  disciples  came  up  to  him  and  said  to  him, 

“Do  you  know  that  the  Pharisees  were  shocked  to  hear 
you  say  that  ?” 

But  he  answered, 

“Any  plant  that  my  heavenly  Father  did  not  plant  must 
be  uprooted!  Leave  them  alone.  They  are  blind  guides! 
But  if  one  blind  man  leads  another,  they  will  both  fall  into 
the  ditch!” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“Explain  the  figure  for  us.” 

He  said, 

“Have  even  you  no  understanding  yet  ?  Can  you  not 
see  that  whatever  goes  into  the  mouth  passes  into  the  stomach 

14:36-15:17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  31 


and  then  is  disposed  of?  But  the  things  that  come  out  of 
the  mouth  come  from  the  heart,  and  they  pollute  a  man. 
For  out  of  the  heart  come  wicked  designs,  murder,  adultery, 
immorality,  stealing,  false  witness,  impious  speech.  It  is 
these  things  that  pollute  a  man,  but  not  eating  with  unwashed 
hands!” 

And  Jesus  left  that  place  and  retired  to  the  neighborhood 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  And  a  Canaanite  woman  of  that  district 
came  out  and  screamed, 

“Son  of  David,  take  pity  on  me,  sir!  My  daughter  is 
dreadfully  possessed  by  a  demon!” 

But  he  would  not  answer  her  a  word.  And  his  disciples 
came  up  and  urged  him,  saying, 

“Send  her  away,  for  she  keeps  screaming  after  us.” 

But  he  answered, 

“I  am  sent  only  to  the  lost  sheep  of  Israel’s  house.” 

And  she  came  and  fell  down  before  him,  and  said, 

“Help  me,  sir!” 

He  said, 

“It  is  not  right  to  take  the  children’s  bread  and  throw  it 
to  the  dogs!” 

But  she  said, 

“O  yes,  sir!  For  even  dogs  eat  the  scraps  that  fall 
from  their  masters’  table!” 

Then  Jesus  answered, 

“You  have  great  faith!  You  shall  have  what  you  want.” 

And  her  daughter  was  cured  from  that  time. 

Jesus  left  that  place  and  went  along  the  shore  of  the 
Sea  of  Galilee,  and  went  up  on  the  hillside  and  sat  down  there. 
Then  great  crowds  came  to  him  bringing  with  them  those  who 
were  lame,  crippled,  blind,  or  dumb,  and  many  others.  And 
they  laid  them  down  at  his  feet,  and  he  cured  them,  so  that 
the  people  were  astonished  to  see  the  dumb  speak,  the  lame 
walk  and  the  blind  see.  And  they  praised  the  God  of  Israel. 

Then  Jesus  called  his  disciples  to  him  and  said  to  them, 

“I  pity  these  people  for  they  have  been  staying  with 
me  three  days  now  and  they  have  nothing  left  to  eat,  and 
I  do  not  mean  to  send  them  away  hungry,  for  they  may  give 
out  on  the  way.” 

15:18-32 


32 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


The  disciples  said  to  him, 

“Where  can  we  get  bread  enough  in  this  solitude  to  feed 
such  a  crowd  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“How  many  loaves  have  you  ?” 

They  said, 

“Seven,  and  a  few  small  fish.” 

Then  he  ordered  the  people  to  take  their  places  on  the 
ground,  and  he  took  the  seven  loaves  and  the  fish  and  gave 
thanks  and  gave  them  to  his  disciples,  and  the  disciples 
gave  them  to  the  people.  And  they  all  ate  and  satisfied  their 
hunger.  And  the  pieces  that  they  left  that  were  picked  up 
filled  seven  baskets.  There  were  four  thousand  men  who  were 
fed,  besides  women  and  children.  And  he  dismissed  the  people 
and  got  into  the  boat  and  went  to  the  district  of  Magadan. 

The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  came  up  and  to  test  him 
asked  him  to  show  them  a  sign  from  heaven.  He  answered, 

“It  is  a  wicked  and  faithless  age  that  insists  on  a  sign, 
and  no  sign  will  be  given  it  but  the  sign  of  Jonah.” 

And  he  left  them  and  went  away. 

When  the  disciples  went  across  the  lake,  they  forgot  to 
take  any  bread.  And  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Look  out,  and  be  on  your  guard  against  the  yeast  of 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees!” 

But  they  were  discussing  something  with  one  another, 
and  saying, 

“We  have  not  brought  any  bread!” 

Jesus  noticed  it  and  said, 

“Why  are  you  discussing  with  one  another  your  being 
without  bread  ?  You  have  so  little  faith!  Do  you  not 
understand  yet  ?  Do  you  not  remember  the  five  loaves  for 
the  five  thousand,  and  how  many  baskets  full  you  gathered 
up  ?  Nor  the  seven  loaves  for  the  four  thousand,  and  how 
many  baskets  full  you  gathered  up  ?  Why  do  you  not  see 
that  I  was  not  talking  to  you  about  bread  ?  But  be  on  your 
guard  against  the  yeast  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees!” 

Then  they  understood  that  he  was  warning  them  not 
against  yeast  but  against  the  teaching  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees. 

15:33-16:12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  33 


When  Jesus  reached  the  district  of  Caesarea  Philippi,  he 
asked  his  disciples, 

“Who  do  people  say  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  ?” 

They  said, 

“Some  say  John  the  Baptist,  others  Elijah,  and  still 
others  Jeremiah  or  one  of  the  prophets.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“But  who  do  you  say  that  I  am  ?” 

Simon  Peter  answered, 

“You  are  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Blessed  are  you,  Simon,  son  of  Jonah,  for  human  nature 
has  not  disclosed  this  to  you,  but  my  Father  in  heaven!  But 
I  tell  you,  your  name  is  Peter,  a  rock,  and  on  this  rock  I  will 
build  my  church,  and  the  powers  of  death  shall  not  subdue 
it.  I  will  give  you  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and 
whatever  you  forbid  on  earth  will  be  held  in  heaven  to  be 
forbidden,  and  whatever  you  permit  on  earth  will  be  held  in 
heaven  to  be  permitted.” 

Then  he  warned  the  disciples  not  to  tell  anyone  that  he 
was  the  Christ. 


It  was  then  that  Jesus  Christ  for  the  first  time  explained 
to  his  disciples  that  he  had  to  go  to  Jerusalem  and  endure 
great  suffering  there  at  the  hands  of  the  elders,  high  priests, 
and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  be  raised  to  life  on  the  third 
day.  And  Peter  took  him  aside  and  began  to  reprove 
him  for  it,  saying, 

“God  bless  you,  Master!  that  can  never  happen  to  you!” 

But  he  turned  and  said  to  Peter, 

“Get  out  of  my  sight,  you  Satan!  You  hinder  me,  for 
you  do  not  side  with  God,  but  with  men!” 

Then  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples, 

“If  anyone  wants  to  go  with  me,  he  must  disregard 
himself  and  take  his  cross  and  follow  me.  For  whoever 
wants  to  preserve  his  own  life  will  lose  it,  and  whoever 
loses  his  life  for  me  will  find  it.  For  what  good  will  it  do  a 

16: 13-26 


34 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


man  if  he  gains  the  whole  world  but  parts  with  his  life  ? 
What  can  a  man  give  to  buy  back  his  life  ?  For  the  Son  of 
Man  is  going  to  come  with  his  angels  in  his  Father’s  glory, 
and  then  he  will  repay  everyone  for  what  he  has  done.  I 
tell  you,  some  of  you  who  stand  here  will  certainly  live  to  see 
the  Son  of  Man  come  to  reign!” 

Six  days  after  this,  Jesus  took  Peter  and  James  and  his: 
brother  John,  and  led  them  up  on  a  high  mountain,  by 
themselves.  And  his  appearance  underwent  a  change  in 
their  presence  and  his  face  shone  like  the  sun,  and  his  clothes 
became  as  white  as  light.  And  Moses  and  Elijah  appeared 
to  them,  talking  with  him.  And  Peter  spoke,  and  said  to 
Jesus, 

“Master,  how  good  it  is  that  we  are  here!  If  you  wish, 
I  will  make  three  huts  here,  one  for  you,  and  one  for  Moses, 
and  one  for  Elijah.” 

As  he  spoke  a  bright  cloud  overshadowed  them  and  a 
voice  from  the  cloud  said, 

“This  is  my  Son,  my  Beloved.  He  is  my  Chosen. 
Listen  to  him !” 

When  the  disciples  heard  it,  they  were  dreadfully  fright¬ 
ened  and  fell  upon  their  faces.  And  Jesus  came  and  touched 
them,  and  said, 

“Get  up  and  do  not  be  afraid.” 

When  they  looked  up,  they  saw  no  one  but  Jesus  himself. 
And  as  they  were  going  down  the  mountain,  Jesus  cautioned 
them,  saying, 

“  Do  not  tell  anyone  of  the  vision  you  have  seen  until  the 
Son  of  Man  is  raised  from  the  dead.” 

The  disciples  asked  him, 

“Then  why  do  the  scribes  say  that  Elijah  has  to  come 
first  ?” 

He  answered, 

“Elijah  does  come  and  is  to  reform  everything,  but  I  tell 
you,  Elijah  has  come  already,  and  they  would  not  recognize 
him,  but  treated  him  just  as  they  pleased.  It  is  in  just  that 
way  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  going  to  be  treated  by  them!” 

Then  the  disciples  understood  that  he  was  speaking  to 
them  of  John  the  Baptist. 

16:27-17: 13 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  35 


When  they  came  to  the  people  again,  a  man  came  up  to 
him  and  fell  on  his  knees,  saying, 

“Master,  take  pity  on  my  son,  for  he  has  epilepsy  and  is 
very  wretched;  he  often  falls  into  the  fire  or  into  the  water. 
And  I  brought  him  to  your  disciples  and  they  have  not  been 
able  to  cure  him.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“O  you  unbelieving,  obstinate  people!  How  long  must 
I  be  with  you  ?  How  long  must  I  put  up  with  you  ?  Bring 
him  here  to  me!” 

And  Jesus  reproved  the  demon  and  it  came  out  of  him, 
and  from  that  moment  the  boy  was  cured.  Afterward,  when 
he  was  alone,  the  disciples  went  to  Jesus  and  said  to  him, 

“Why  could  we  not  drive  it  out  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Because  you  have  so  little  faith.  For  I  tell  you,  if  you 
have  faith  the  size  of  a  grain  of  mustard,  you  can  say  to  this 
mountain  ‘Move  from  here  over  to  there!’  and  it  will  move, 
and  nothing  will  be  impossible  for  you.” 

As  they  were  going  about  in  Galilee,  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“The  Son  of  Man  is  going  to  be  handed  over  to  men,  and 
they  will  kill  him,  but  on  the  third  day  he  will  be  raised  to 
life  again.”  And  they  were  greatly  distressed. 

When  they  reached  Capernaum,  the  collectors  of  the 
temple-tax  came  and  said  to  Peter, 

“Does  not  your  Master  pay  the  temple-tax  ?” 

He  said, 

1  es. 

But  when  he  went  home,  Jesus  spoke  of  it  first  and  said, 

“What  do  you  think,  Simon  ?  From  whom  do  earthly 
kings  collect  duties  and  taxes  ?  From  their  own  people,  or 
from  aliens  ?” 

He  said, 

“From  aliens.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Then  their  own  people  are  exempt.  But  rather  than 
give  offense  to  them,  go  down  to  the  sea  and  throw  in  a  hook. 
Take  the  first  fish  that  comes  up,  open  its  mouth  and  you 
will  find  in  it  a  dollar.  Take  that  and  pay  the  tax  for  us  both.” 

17: 14-27 


36 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Just  at  that  time  the  disciples  came  up  and  asked  Jesus, 

“Who  is  really  greatest  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  ?” 

He  called  a  child  to  him  and  had  him  stand  among 
them,  and  he  said, 

“  I  tell  you,  unless  you  change  and  become  like  children, 
you  will  never  get  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  at  all.  Any¬ 
one,  therefore,  who  is  as  unassuming  as  this  child  is  the  greatest 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  anyone  who  welcomes  one  child 
like  this  on  my  account  welcomes  me.  But  whoever  hinders 
one  of  these  children  who  believe  in  me  might  better  have  a 
great  millstone  hung  around  his  neck  and  be  sunk  in  the  open 
sea.  Alas  for  the  world  for  such  hindrances!  They  have  to 
come,  but  alas  for  the  man  who  causes  them! 

“But  if  your  own  hand  or  your  own  foot  makes  you  fall, 
cut  it  off  and  throw  it  away.  You  might  better  enter  upon 
life  maimed  or  crippled  than  keep  both  hands  and  feet  but 
be  thrown  into  the  everlasting  fire.  And  if  your  own  eye 
makes  you  fall,  dig  it  out  and  throw  it  away.  You  might 
better  enter  upon  life  with  only  one  eye  than  be  thrown  with 
both  eyes  into  the  fiery  pit. 

“Beware  of  feeling  scornful  of  one  single  little  child, 
for  I  tell  you  that  in  heaven  their  angels  have  continual 
access  to  my  Father  in  heaven.  What  do  you  think  ?  If  a 
man  has  a  hundred  sheep  and  one  of  them  strays  away,  will 
he  not  leave  the  ninety-nine  on  the  hills,  and  go  in  search  of 
the  one  that  is  astray  ?  And  if  he  happens  to  find  it,  I  tell 
you  he  rejoices  more  over  it  than  he  does  over  the  ninety-nine 
that  did  not  stray.  In  just  that  way,  it  is  the  will  of  my 
Father  in  heaven  that  not  a  single  one  of  these  children  be  lost. 

“But  if  your  brother  wrongs  you,  go  to  him  and  show 
him  his  fault  while  you  are  alone  with  him.  If  he  listens  to 
you,  you  have  won  back  your  brother.  But  if  he  will  not 
listen,  take  one  or  two  others  with  you,  so  that  everything 
may  be  supported  by  the  testimony  of  two  or  three  witnesses. 
If  he  refuses  to  listen  to  them,  tell  the  congregation.  And  if 
he  refuses  to  listen  to  it,  treat  him  as  a  heathen  or  a  tax- 
collector. 

“I  tell  you,  whatever  you  forbid  on  earth  will  be  held 
in  heaven  to  be  forbidden,  and  whatever  you  permit  on  earth 

18:  i— 18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  37 


will  be  held  in  heaven  to  be  permitted.  Again,  I  tell  you, 
if  even  two  of  you  here  on  earth  agree  about  what  they  shall 
pray  for,  it  will  be  given  them  by  my  Father  in  heaven. 
For  wherever  two  or  three  are  gathered  as  my  followers,  I  am 
there  among  them.” 

Then  Peter  came  to  him  and  said, 

“Master,  how  many  times  am  I  to  forgive  my  brother 
when  he  wrongs  me  ?  Seven  times  over  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Not  seven  times  over,  I  tell  you,  but  seventy-seven 
times  over!  For  this  reason  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  may 
be  compared  to  a  king,  who  resolved  to  settle  accounts  with 
his  slaves.  And  when  he  set  about  doing  so,  a  man  was 
brought  in  who  owed  him  ten  million  dollars.  And  as  he  could 
not  pay,  his  master  ordered  him  to  be  sold,  with  his  wife  and 
children  and  all  he  had,  in  payment  of  the  debt.  So  the 
slave  threw  himself  down  before  him  and  implored  him,  ‘Give 
me  time,  and  I  will  pay  you  all  of  it.’  And  his  master’s  heart 
was  touched,  and  he  let  the  slave  go  and  cancelled  the  debt. 
But  when  the  slave  went  out  he  met  a  fellow-slave  of  his 
who  owed  him  twenty  dollars,  and  he  caught  him  by  the 
throat  and  began  to  choke  him,  saying,  ‘Pay  me  what  you 
owe!’  So  his  fellow-slave  threw  himself  down  before  him,  and 
begged  him,  ‘Give  me  time,  and  I  will  pay  you.’  But  he 
refused  and  went  and  had  him  put  in  prison  until  he  should 
pay  the  debt.  When  his  fellow-slaves  saw  what  had  hap¬ 
pened,  they  were  greatly  distressed,  and  they  went  to  their 
master  and  reported  the  whole  matter  to  him.  Then  his 
master  called  him  in  and  said  to  him,  ‘You  wicked  slave! 
I  cancelled  all  that  debt  of  yours  when  you  entreated  me. 
Ought  you  not  to  have  taken  pity  on  your  fellow-slave,  as 
I  did  on  you  ?’  So  his  master  in  his  anger  handed  him  over 
to  the  jailers,  until  he  should  pay  all  he  owed  him.  That  is 
what  my  heavenly  Father  will  do  to  you,  if  you  do  not  each 
forgive  your  brothers  from  your  hearts!” 

When  Jesus  had  finished  this  discourse,  he  left  Galilee  and 
went  to  the  part  of  Judea  that  is  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Jordan.  Great  crowds  followed  him  about  and  he  cured 
them  there. 

18: 19-19:2 


38 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  some  Pharisees  came  up  to  him  to  test  him,  and 
they  said, 

“Is  it  right  for  a  man  to  divorce  his  wife  for  any  cause  ?” 

But  he  answered, 

“Did  you  never  read  that  the  Creator  at  the  beginning 
made  them  male  and  female,  and  said,  ‘For  this  reason  a 
man  shall  leave  his  father  and  mother  and  be  united  to  his 
wife,  and  the  two  of  them  shall  become  one’  ?  So  they  are 
no  longer  two  but  one.  Therefore,  what  God  has  joined 
together,  man  must  not  try  to  separate. ” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Then  why  did  Moses  command  us  to  draw  up  a  written 
divorce-notice  and  give  it  to  her  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“It  was  on  account  of  your  perversity  that  Moses 
permitted  you  to  divorce  your  wives,  but  it  was  not  so  at  the 
beginning.  I  tell  you  that  whoever  divorces  his  wife 
on  any  ground  but  her  unfaithfulness,  and  marries  another 
woman,  commits  adultery.” 

The  disciples  said  to  him, 

“If  that  is  a  man’s  relation  to  his  wife,  it  is  better  not  to 
marry!” 

He  said  to  them, 

“It  is  not  everyone  who  can  accept  that,  but  only  those 
who  have  a  special  gift.  For  some  are  incapable  of  marriage 
from  their  birth,  and  some  have  been  made  so  by  men,  and 
some  have  made  themselves  so  for  the  sake  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven.  Let  him  accept  it  who  can.” 

Then  some  children  were  brought  up  to  him  so  that  he 
might  lay  his  hands  on  them  and  pray,  but  his  disciples 
reproved  the  people  for  it.  But  Jesus  said, 

“Let  the  children  alone,  and  do  not  try  to  keep  them 
from  coming  to  me,  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  belongs  to 
such  as  they  are.” 

And  he  laid  his  hands  on  them  and  went  on. 

A  man  came  up  to  him  and  said, 

“Master,  what  good  deed  must  I  do  to  obtain  eternal 
life  ?” 

But  he  said  to  him, 


19:3-17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  39 


“Why  do  you  ask  me  about  what  is  good  ?  There  is  only 
one  who  is  good.  But  if  you  want  to  enter  that  life,  keep  the 
commandments.” 

He  said  to  him, 

“Which  ones?” 

Jesus  said, 

“These:  ‘You  shall  not  murder,  You  shall  not  commit 
adultery,  You  shall  not  steal,  You  shall  not  bear  false  witness, 
Honor  your  father  and  mother,’  and  ‘You  shall  love  your 
neighbor  as  you  do  yourself.’  ” 

The  young  man  said  to  him, 

“I  have  obeyed  all  these  commandments.  What  do 
I  still  lack  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“If  you  want  to  be  perfect,  go!  Sell  your  property  and 
give  the  money  to  the  poor,  and  you  will  have  riches  in 
heaven.  Then  come  back  and  be  a  follower  of  mine.” 

But  when  the  young  man  heard  that,  he  went  away 
much  cast  down,  for  he  had  a  great  deal  of  property. 

Jesus  said  to  his  disciples, 

“I  tell  you,  it  will  be  hard  for  a  rich  man  to  get  into  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven!  And  again  I  tell  you,  it  is  easier  for  a 
camel  to  get  through  a  needle’s  eye  than  for  a  rich  man  to  get 
into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven!” 

But  when  the  disciples  heard  this,  they  were  completely 
astounded  and  said, 

“Then  who  can  be  saved  ?” 

But  Jesus  looked  at  them  and  said, 

“For  men  it  is  impossible,  but  anything  is  possible 
for  God!” 

Then  Peter  spoke  and  said  to  him, 

“Here  we  have  left  all  we  had  and  followed  you. 
What  are  we  to  have  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“In  the  new  world,  I  tell  you,  when  the  Son  of  Man 
takes  his  seat  on  his  glorious  throne,  you  who  have  followed 
me  will  also  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  and  judge  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel!  And  anyone  who  has  given  up  houses  or 
brothers  or  sisters  or  father  or  mother  or  children  or  land 

19:18-29 


4o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


for  my  sake  will  receive  many  times  as  much,  and  share 
eternal  life.  But  many  who  are  first  now  will  be  last  then,  and 
many  who  are  now  last  will  be  first.  For  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  is  like  an  employer  who  went  out  early  in  the  morning 
to  hire  laborers  for  his  vineyard.  He  agreed  with  the 
laborers  to  pay  them  twenty  cents  a  day,  and  sent  them  to  his 
vineyard.  He  went  out  about  nine  o’clock  and  saw  others 
standing  in  the  bazaar  with  nothing  to  do.  And  he  said  to 
them,  ‘You  go  to  my  vineyard,  too,  and  I  will  pay  you  what¬ 
ever  is  right.’  So  they  went.  He  went  out  again  about 
twelve  and  about  three,  and  did  the  same.  About  five  he 
went  out  and  found  others  standing  about  and  he  said  to 
them,  ‘Why  have  you  been  standing  about  here  all  day 
doing  nothing?’  They  said  to  him,  ‘Because  nobody  has 
hired  us.’  He  said  to  them,  ‘You  go  to  my  vineyard,  too.’ 
When  evening  came,  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  said  to  his 
foreman,  ‘  Call  the  laborers  and  pay  them  their  wages,  begin¬ 
ning  with  the  last  and  ending  with  the  first.’  When  those 
who  were  hired  about  five  o’clock  came  they  received  twenty 
cents  each.  And  when  those  who  were  hired  first  came 
they  expected  to  get  more,  but  they  too  got  twenty  cents  each. 
And  when  they  received  it  they  grumbled  at  their  employer, 
and  said,  ‘These  men  who  were  hired  last  worked  only  one 
hour,  and  you  have  put  them  on  the  same  footing  with  us 
who  have  done  the  heavy  work  of  the  day  and  have  stood  the 
midday  heat.’  But  he  answered  one  of  them,  ‘My  friend, 
I  am  doing  you  no  injustice.  Did  you  not  agree  with  me 
on  twenty  cents  ?  Take  what  belongs  to  you  and  go. 
I  wish  to  give  the  last  man  hired  as  much  as  I  give 
you.  Have  I  no  right  to  do  what  I  please  with  what  is 
mine  ?  Or  do  you  begrudge  my  generosity  ?’  So  those  who 
are  last  now  will  be  first  then,  and  those  who  are  first  will 
be  last.” 

When  Jesus  was  about  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  he  took 
the  Twelve  off  by  themselves,  and  said  to  them  as  they  were 
on  the  way, 

“We  are  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  Son  of  Man  will 
be  handed  over  to  the  high  priests  and  scribes,  and  they  will 
condemn  him  to  death,  and  hand  him  over  to  the  heathen  to 

19:30—20: 19 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  41 


be  mocked  and  flogged  and  crucified,  and  on  the  third  day 
he  will  be  raised  to  life.” 

Then  the  mother  of  Zebedee’s  sons  came  up  to  him  with 
her  sons,  bowing  low,  to  ask  a  favor  of  him.  He  said  to  her, 

“What  do  you  want  ?” 

She  said  to  him, 

“Give  orders  that  these  two  sons  of  mine  sit  one  at 
your  right  and  one  at  your  left,  when  you  are  king!” 

But  Jesus  answered, 

“You  do  not  know  what  you  are  asking  for!  Can 
you  drink  what  I  am  going  to  drink  ?” 

They  answered. 

“Yes,  we  can.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Then  what  I  drink  you  shall  drink,  but  as  for  sitting 
at  my  right  or  my  left,  that  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  be¬ 
longs  to  those  for  whom  it  is  destined  by  my  Father.” 

When  the  other  ten  heard  of  this,  they  were  very  indignant 
at  the  two  brothers.  But  Jesus  called  them  to  him  and  said, 

“You  know  that  the  rulers  of  the  heathen  lord  it  over 
them,  and  their  great  men  tyrannize  over  them.  It  is  not  to 
be  so  among  you,  but  whoever  wants  to  be  great  among 
you  must  be  your  servant,  and  whoever  wants  to  hold  the 
first  place  among  you  must  be  your  slave,  just  as  the  Son  of 
Man  has  come  not  to  be  waited  on,  but  to  wait  on  other 
people,  and  to  give  his  life  to  ransom  many  others.” 

As  they  were  going  out  of  Jericho,  a  great  crowd  followed 
him.  And  two  blind  men  sitting  by  the  roadside,  hearing 
that  it  was  Jesus  who  was  passing,  called  out, 

“You  Son  of  David!  Take  pity  on  us,  sir!” 

The  crowd  told  them  to  be  still,  but  they  called  all  the 
louder, 

“You  Son  of  David!  Take  pity  on  us,  sir!” 

And  Jesus  stopped  and  called  them,  and  said, 

“What  do  you  want  me  to  do  for  you  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Sir,  have  our  eyes  opened!” 

And  Jesus  took  pity  on  them  and  touched  their  eyes, 
and  they  immediately  regained  their  sight,  and  followed  him. 

20 : 20—34 


42 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


When  they  were  near  Jerusalem  and  had  come  to 
Bethphage  and  the  Mount  of  Olives,  Jesus  sent  two  disciples 
on  ahead,  saying  to  them, 

“Go  to  the  village  that  lies  in  front  of  you,  and  you 
will  at  once  find  an  ass  tied  there,  and  a  colt  with  her.  Untie 
her  and  bring  them  to  me.  If  anyone  says  anything  to 
you,  you  are  to  say  ‘The  Master  needs  them’;  then  he  will 
send  them  at  once.” 

Now  this  happened  in  fulfilment  of  what  was  said  by 
the  prophet, 

“Tell  the  daughter  of  Zion, 

‘Here  is  your  king  coming  to  you, 

Gentle,  and  riding  on  an  ass, 

And  on  the  foal  of  a  beast  of  burden.’  ” 

So  the  disciples  went  and  did  as  Jesus  had  directed 
them;  they  brought  the  ass  and  the  colt,  and  laid  their 
coats  upon  them,  and  Jesus  seated  himself  upon  them. 
And  most  of  the  crowd  spread  their  coats  in  his  way,  and 
others  cut  branches  from  the  trees  and  scattered  them 
before  him.  And  the  crowds  that  went  in  front  of  him  and 
that  followed  him  shouted, 

“God  bless  the  Son  of  David! 

Blessed  be  he  who  comes  in  the  Lord’s  name! 

God  bless  him  from  on  high!” 

When  he  came  into  Jerusalem,  the  whole  city  was  stirred, 
and  everyone  asked, 

“Who  is  he?” 

The  crowd  answered, 

“It  is  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  in  Galilee!” 

And  Jesus  went  into  theTemple  and  drove  out  all  who  were 
buying  or  selling  things  in  it,  and  he  upset  the  money-changers’ 
tables  and  the  pigeon-dealers’  seats,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“The  Scripture  says  ‘My  house  shall  be  called  a  house 
of  prayer,’  but  you  make  it  a  robbers’  cave.” 

And  blind  and  lame  people  came  up  to  him  in  the  Temple, 
and  he  cured  them.  But  when  the  high  priests  and  the 
scribes  saw  the  wonders  that  he  did  and  saw  the  boys  shouting 
in  the  Temple,  “God  bless  the  Son  of  David!”  they  were 
indignant,  and  said  to  him, 

21:1-16 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  43 


“Do  you  hear  what  they  are  saying  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Yes.  Did  you  never  read,  ‘You  have  drawn  praise 
from  the  mouths  of  children  and  infants’  ?  ” 

And  he  left  them,  and  went  out  of  the  city  to  Bethany, 
and  spent  the  night  there. 

In  the  morning  as  he  went  back  to  the  city,  he  grew 
hungry,  and  seeing  a  fig  tree  by  the  roadside,  he  went  up  to 
it,  but  found  nothing  on  it  but  leaves.  And  he  said  to  it, 

“No  more  fruit  shall  ever  grow  on  you!” 

And  the  fig  tree  withered  up  at  once.  When  the  disciples 
saw  it,  they  were  amazed  and  said, 

“How  did  the  fig  tree  come  to  wither  up  immediately  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  tell  you,  if  you  have  faith  and  have  no  doubt,  you 
will  not  only  do  what  I  have  done  to  the  fig  tree,  but  even  if 
you  say  to  this  mountain,  ‘Get  up  and  throw  yourself  into  the 
sea,’  it  will  be  done.  And  everything  that  you  pray  for  with 
faith,  you  will  obtain.” 

When  he  had  entered  the  Temple,  and  was  teaching,  the 
high  priests  and  theeldersof  the  people  cameup  to  him,andsaid, 

“What  authority  have  you  for  doing  as  you  do,  and 
who  gave  you  this  authority  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Let  me  ask  you  one  question,  and  if  you  answer  it, 
I  will  tell  you  what  authority  I  have  for  doing  as  I  do.  Where 
did  John’s  baptism  come  from  ?  Was  it  from  heaven,  or 
from  men  ?” 

And  they  argued  with  one  another, 

“If  we  say,  ‘It  was  from  heaven,’  he  will  say  to  us, 
‘Then  why  did  you  not  believe  him  ?’  But  if  we  say,  ‘From 
men,’  we  have  the  people  to  fear,  for  they  all  consider  John 
a  prophet.” 

And  they  answered  Jesus, 

“We  do  not  know.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Nor  will  I  tell  you  what  authority  I  have  for  doing  as  I 
do.  But  what  do  you  think  ?  There  was  a  man  who  had 
two  sons.  He  went  to  the  first  and  said,  ‘My  son,  go  and 

21 : 17—28 


44 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


work  in  the  vineyard  today.’  And  he  answered,  ‘I  will, 

.  sir,’  but  he  did  not  go.  Then  the  man  went  to  the  second 
son,  and  told  him  the  same  thing.  And  he  answered  “I  will 
not!”  But  afterward  he  changed  his  mind  and  went. 
Which  of  the  two  did  what  his  father  wanted  ?” 

They  said, 

“The  second  one.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“I  tell  you,  the  tax-collectors  and  prostitutes  are  going 
into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  ahead  of  you.  For  John  came 
to  you  with  a  way  of  uprightness,  and  you  would  not  believe 
him.  The  tax-collectors  and  prostitutes  believed  him,  but 
even  after  seeing  that,  you  would  not  change  your  minds 
and  believe  him ! 

“Listen  to  another  figure.  There  was  a  land  owner  who 
planted  a  vineyard  and  fenced  it  in,  and  hewed  out  a  wine-vat 
in  it,  and  built  a  watch-tower,  and  leased  it  to  tenants,  and 
left  the  neighborhood.  When  the  time  for  the  vintage 
approached  he  sent  his  slaves  to  the  tenants  to  receive  his 
share.  But  the  tenants  took  his  slaves  and  beat  one  and 
killed  another  and  stoned  a  third.  Again  he  sent  other  slaves 
and  more  of  them  than  he  had  sent  at  first,  and  they  treated 
them  in  the  same  way.  Finally  he  sent  his  son  to  them, 
thinking,  ‘They  will  respect  my  son.’  But  when  the  tenants 
saw  his  son,  they  said  to  one  another,  ‘This  is  his  heir! 
Come  on,  let  us  kill  him,  and  get  his  inheritance!’  So  they 
took  him  and  drove  him  out  of  the  vineyard  and  killed  him. 
When  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  comes  back,  therefore,  what 
will  he  do  to  these  tenants  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“He  will  put  the  wretches  to  a  miserable  death,  and  let 
the  vineyard  to  other  tenants  who  will  give  him  his  share  of 
the  vintage  when  it  is  due.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  Did  you  never  read  in  the  Scriptures, 

“  ‘That  stone  which  the  builders  rejected 
Has  become  the  cornerstone; 

This  came  from  the  Lord, 

And  seems  marvelous  to  us’  ? 


21:29-42 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  45 


“That,  I  tell  you,  is  why  the  Kingdom  of  God  will  be 
taken  away  from  you,  and  given  to  a  people  that  will  produce 
its  proper  fruit.  Whoever  falls  on  that  stone  will  be  shattered, 
but  whoever  it  falls  upon  will  be  pulverized.” 

When  the  high  priests  and  the  Pharisees  heard  his 
figures,  they  knew  that  he  was  speaking  about  them,  and  they 
wanted  to  have  him  arrested,  but  they  were  afraid  of  the 
people,  for  the  people  considered  him  a  prophet. 

And  Jesus  spoke  to  them  again  in  figures,  and  said, 

“The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  king,  who  gave  a 
wedding  banquet  for  his  son.  And  he  sent  his  slaves  to 
summon  those  who  had  been  invited  to  the  banquet,  and 
they  would  not  come.  He  sent  other  slaves  a  second  time, 
and  said  to  them,  ‘Tell  those  who  have  been  asked,  “Here 
I  have  my  banquet  all  ready,  my  bullocks  and  fat  cattle 
are  killed,  and  everything  is  ready.  Come  to  the  banquet!”  ’ 
But  they  took  no  notice  of  it,  and  went  off,  one  to  his  estate, 
and  another  to  his  business,  and  the  rest  seized  his  slaves, 
and  ill  treated  them  and  killed  them.  This  made  the  king 
angry,  and  he  sent  his  troops  and  put  those  murderers  to 
death  and  burned  their  city.  Then  he  said  to  his  slaves, 
‘The  banquet  is  ready,  but  those  who  were  invited  have 
proved  unworthy  of  it.  So  go  out  where  the  roads  leave  the 
city  and  invite  everyone  you  find  to  the  banquet.’  So  his 
slaves  went  out  on  the  roads,  and  got  together  all  the  people 
they  could  find,  good  or  bad,  and  the  hall  was  filled  with 
guests.  But  when  the  king  came  in  to  view  the  guests,  he 
saw  among  them  a  man  who  did  not  have  on  wedding  clothes. 
And  he  said  to  him,  ‘My  friend,  how  did  you  happen  to  come 
here  without  wedding  clothes  ?’  But  he  had  nothing  to  say. 
Then  the  king  said  to  his  attendants,  ‘Bind  him  hand  and 
foot  and  throw  him  out  into  the  darkness,  there  to  weep 
and  grind  his  teeth.’  For  many  are  invited  but  few 
chosen.” 

Then  the  Pharisees  went  and  made  a  plot  to  entrap  him 
in  argument.  So  they  sent  their  disciples  to  him  with  the 
Herodians,  to  say  to  him, 

“Master,  we  know  that  you  tell  the  truth,  and  teach 
the  way  of  God  with  sincerity,  regardless  of  the  conse- 

21:43-22: 16 


4  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


quences,  for  you  are  impartial.  So  give  us  your  opinion: 
Is  it  right  to  pay  the  poll-tax  to  the  emperor,  or  not  ?” 

But  he  saw  their  malice,  and  said, 

“Why  do  you  put  me  to  such  a  test,  you  hypocrites  ? 
Show  me  the  poll-tax  coin!” 

And  they  brought  him  a  denarius.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Whose  head  and  title  is  this  ?” 

They  answered, 

“The  emperor’s.” 

Then  he  said  to  them, 

“Then  pay  the  emperor  what  belongs  to  the  emperor, 
and  pay  God  what  belongs  to  God!” 

And  when  they  heard  it  they  were  amazed,  and  they 
went  away  and  left  him. 

On  the  same  day  some  Sadducees  came  up  to  him, 
claiming  that  there  is  no  resurrection,  and  they  asked  him 
this  question: 

“Master,  Moses  said,  ‘If  a  man  dies  without  children 
his  brother  shall  marry  his  widow,  and  raise  up  a  family  for 
him.’  Now  there  were  seven  brothers  among  us.  The 
first  of  them  married  and  died,  and  as  he  had  no  children,  he 
left  his  wife  to  his  brother;  so  did  the  second,  and  the  third, 
and  the  rest  of  the  seven.  After  them  all  the  woman  died. 
At  the  resurrection  which  one’s  wife  will  she  be  ?  For  they 
all  married  her.” 

Jesus  answered  them, 

“You  are  wrong,  because  you  do  not  understand  the 
Scriptures  nor  the  power  of  God.  For  after  the  resurrection 
there  is  no  marrying  or  being  married,  but  they  live  as 
angels  do  in  heaven.  But  as  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
did  you  never  read  what  was  said  to  you  by  God,  ‘I  am  the 
God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob’  ? 
He  is  not  the  God  of  dead  men  but  of  living!” 

When  the  crowd  heard  this,  they  were  astounded  at  his 
teaching. 

And  when  the  Pharisees  heard  that  he  had  silenced  the 
Sadducees,  they  gathered  together,  and  one  of  them,  an 
expert  in  the  Law,  to  test  him,  asked, 

“Master,  what  command  is  greatest  in  the  Law  ?” 

22: 17— 36 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  47 


And  he  said  to  him, 

‘“You  must  love  the  Lord  your  God  with  your  whole 
heart,  your  whole  soul,  and  your  whole  mind.’  That  is  the 
great,  first  command.  There  is  a  second  like  it:  ‘You  must 
love  your  neighbor  as  you  do  yourself.’  These  two  commands 
sum  up  the  whole  of  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.” 

While  the  Pharisees  were  still  gathered  there,  Jesus 
asked  them, 

“  What  do  you  think  about  the  Christ?  Whose  son  is  he  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“David’s.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“How  is  it  then  that  David  under  the  Spirit’s  influence 
calls  him  lord,  and  says, 

“  ‘The  Lord  has  said  to  my  lord,  “  Sit  at  my  right  hand. 
Until  I  put  your  enemies  under  your  feet”  ’  ? 

So  if  David  calls  him  lord,  how  can  he  be  his  son  ?” 

And  no  one  could  make  him  any  answer,  and  from  that 
day  no  one  ventured  to  ask  him  any  more  questions. 

Then  Jesus  said  to  the  crowds  and  to  his  disciples, 

“The  scribes  and  Pharisees  have  taken  Moses’  seat. 
So  do  everything  they  tell  you,  and  observe  it  all,  but  do 
not  do  as  they  do,  for  they  talk  but  do  not  act.  They  tie 
up  heavy  loads  and  have  them  put  on  men’s  shoulders,  but 
they  will  not  lift  a  finger  to  move  them.  They  do  everything 
they  do  to  have  men  see  it.  They  wear  wide  Scripture  texts 
as  charms,  and  they  wear  large  tassels,  and  they  like  the 
best  places  at  dinners  and  the  front  seats  in  the  synagogues, 
and  to  be  saluted  with  respect  in  public  places,  and  to 
have  men  call  them  ‘Rabbi.’  But  you  must  not  let  people 
call  you  ‘Rabbi,’  for  you  have  only  one  teacher,  and  you  are 
all  brothers.  And  you  must  not  call  anyone  on  earth  your 
father,  for  you  have  only  one  father,  your  heavenly  Father. 
And  you  must  not  let  men  call  you  master,  for  you  have 
only  one  master,  the  Christ.  But  he  who  is  greatest  among 
you  must  be  your  servant.  Whoever  exalts  himself  will  be 
humbled  and  whoever  humbles  himself  will  be  exalted. 

“But  alas  for  you,  you  hypocritical  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
for  you  lock  the  doors  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  in  men’s 

22:37-23:14 


48 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


faces,  for  you  will  neither  go  in  yourselves  nor  let  those  enter 
who  are  trying  to  do  so.  Alas  for  you,  you  hypocritical 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  for  you  scour  land  and  sea  to  make 
one  convert,  and  when  he  is  converted  you  make  him  twice  as 
fit  for  the  pit  as  you  are.  Alas  for  you,  you  blind  guides,  who 
say,  ‘  If  anyone  swears  by  the  sanctuary,  it  does  not  matter, 
but  if  anyone  swears  by  the  gold  of  the  sanctuary,  it  is  binding.’ 
Blind  fools!  which  is  greater,  the  gold,  or  the  sanctuary  that 
makes  the  gold  sacred  ?  You  say,  ‘If  anyone  swears  by  the 
altar,  it  does  not  matter,  but  if  anyone  swears  by  the  offering 
that  is  on  it,  it  is  binding.’  You  blind  men!  Which  is  greater, 
the  offering,  or  the  altar  that  makes  the  offering  sacred  ? 
Anyone  who  swears  by  the  altar  is  swearing  by  it  and  by 
everything  that  is  on  it,  and  anyone  who  swears  by  the 
sanctuary  is  swearing  by  it  and  by  him  who  dwells  in  it;  and 
anyone  who  swears  by  heaven  is  swearing  by  the  throne  of 
God  and  by  him  who  sits  upon  it. 

“Alas  for  you,  you  hypocritical  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
for  you  pay  tithes  on  mint,  dill,  and  cummin,  and  you  have 
let  the  weightier  matters  of  the  Law  go — justice,  mercy,  and 
integrity.  But  you  should  have  observed  these,  without 
overlooking  the  others.  You  blind  guides!  straining  out  the 
gnat,  and  yet  swallowing  the  camel!  Alas  for  you,  you 
hypocritical  scribes  and  Pharisees,  for  you  clean  the  outside 
of  the  cup  and  the  dish,  but  inside  they  are  full  of  greed  and 
self-indulgence.  You  blind  Pharisee!  You  must  first  clean 
the  inside  of  the  cup  and  the  dish,  so  that  the  outside  may  be 
clean  too.  Alas  for  you,  you  hypocritical  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  for  you  are  like  white-washed  tombs!  They  look 
well  on  the  outside,  but  inside  they  are  full  of  the  bones  of  the 
dead,  and  all  that  is  unclean.  So  you  outwardly  appear  to 
men  to  be  upright,  but  within  you  are  full  of  hypocrisy  and 
wickedness. 

“Alas  for  you,  you  hypocritical  scribes  and  Pharisees,  for 
you  build  tombs  for  the  prophets,  and  decorate  the  monu¬ 
ments  of  the  upright,  and  say,  ‘If  we  had  been  living  in  the 
times  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  joined  them  in  the 
murder  of  the  prophets.’  So  you  bear  witness  against 
yourselves  that  you  are  descended  from  the  murderers  of  the 

23:15-31- 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  49 


prophets.  Go  on  and  fill  up  the  measure  of  your  forefathers’ 
guilt!  You  serpents!  You  brood  of  snakes!  How  can  you 
escape  being  sentenced  to  the  pit  ?  This  is  why  I  am  going  to 
send  you  prophets,  wise  men  and  scribes,  some  of  whom  you 
will  kill  and  crucify,  and  some  you  will  flog  in  your  synagogues 
and  hunt  from  one  town  to  another;  it  is  that  on  your  heads 
may  come  all  the  righteous  blood  shed  on  the  earth  from  the 
blood  of  Abel  the  upright  to  the  blood  of  Zechariah, 
Barachiah’s  son,  whom  you  murdered  between  the  sanctuary 
and  the  altar!  I  tell  you,  all  this  will  come  upon  this  age! 

“O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem!  murdering  the  prophets,  and 
stoning  those  who  are  sent  to  her,  how  often  I  have  longed 
to  gather  your  children  around  me,  as  a  hen  gathers  her  brood 
under  her  wings,  but  you  refused!  Now  I  leave  you  to 
yourselves.  For  I  tell  you,  you  will  never  see  me  again  until 
you  say,  ‘Blessed  be  he  who  comes  in  the  Lord’s  name!’  ” 
And  Jesus  left  the  Temple  and  was  going  away,  when 
his  disciples  came  up  to  him  to  call  his  attention  to  the 
Temple  buildings.  But  he  answered, 

“  Do  you  see  all  this  ?  I  tell  you,  not  one  stone  will  be 
left  here  upon  another  but  shall  be  torn  down.” 

As  he  was  sitting  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  the  disciples 
came  up  to  him  by  themselves,  and  said  to  him, 

“Tell  us  when  this  is  to  happen,  and  what  will  be  the  sign 
of  your  coming,  and  of  the  close  of  the  age.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Take  care  that  no  one  misleads  you  about  this.  For 
many  will  come  under  my  name,  and  say,  ‘I  am  the  Christ,’ 
and  many  will  be  misled  by  them.  You  will  hear  of  wars  and 
rumors  of  war;  do  not  let  yourselves  be  alarmed.  They  have 
to  come,  but  that  is  not  the  end.  For  nation  will  rise  in 
arms  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom,  and  there 
will  be  famines  and  earthquakes  here  and  there.  All  this  is 
only  the  beginning  of  the  sufferings.  Then  they  will  hand 
you  over  to  persecution  and  they  will  put  you  to  death,  and 
you  will  be  hated  by  all  the  heathen  because  you  bear  my 
name.  Then  many  will  fall  away  and  betray  one  another 
and  hate  one  another.  Many  false  prophets  will  appear, 
and  many  will  be  misled  by  them,  and  because  of  the  increase 

23:32-24: 12 


5° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


of  wickedness,  most  men’s  love  will  grow  cold.  But  he  who 
holds  out  to  the  end  will  be  saved.  And  this  good  news 
of  the  kingdom  will  be  preached  all  over  the  world,  to 
testify  to  all  the  heathen,  and  then  the  end  will  come. 

“So  when  you  see  the  dreadful  desecration,  of  which  the 
prophet  Daniel  spoke,  set  up  in  the  Holy  Place  ” — the  reader 
must  take  note  of  this — “then  those  who  are  in  Judea  must 
fly  to  the  hills;  a  man  on  the  roof  of  his  house  must  not  go 
down  to  get  things  out  of  it,  and  a  man  in  the  field  must  not 
turn  back  to  get  his  coat.  But  alas  for  women  who  are  with 
child  at  that  time  or  who  have  babes!  And  pray  that  you 
may  not  have  to  fly  in  winter  or  on  the  Sabbath,  for  there  will 
be  greater  misery  then  than  there  has  ever  been  from  the 
beginning  of  creation  until  now,  or  ever  will  be  again.  If 
those  days  had  not  been  cut  short,  nobody  would  have 
escaped,  but  for  the  sake  of  God’s  people  those  days  will  be 
cut  short. 

“If  anyone  says  to  you  at  that  time,  ‘Look!  here  is  the 
Christ!’  or  ‘There  he  is!’  do  not  believe  it,  for  false  Christs 
and  false  prophets  will  appear,  and  they  will  show  great  signs 
and  wonders  to  mislead  God’s  chosen  people  if  they  can.  Here 
I  have  told  you  beforehand.  So  if  they  say  to  you, 
‘There  he  is,  in  the  desert!’  do  not  go  out  there;  ‘Here  he  is, 
in  a  room  in  here!’  do  not  believe  it.  For  just  as  the  lightning 
starts  in  the  east  and  flashes  to  the  west,  so  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  Man  will  be.  Wherever  there  is  a  dead  body,  the 
vultures  will  flock. 

“But  immediately  after  the  misery  of  those  days,  the  sun 
will  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  will  not  shed  its  light,  and 
the  stars  will  fall  from  the  sky,  and  the  forces  of  the  sky  will 
shake.  Then  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  will  appear  in 
the  sky,  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  will  lament  when 
they  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  on  the  clouds  of  the  sky, 
in  all  his  power  and  splendor.  And  he  will  send  out  his 
angels  with  a  loud  trumpet-call,  and  they  will  gather  his 
chosen  people  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  the  sky 
to  the  other. 

“Let  the  fig  tree  teach  you  the  lesson.  As  soon  as  its 
branches  grow  soft  and  put  forth  leaves,  you  know  that 

24:13-32 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  51 


summer  is  coming.  So  when  you  see  all  these  things,  you 
must  know  that  he  is  just  at  the  door.  I  tell  you,  these  things 
will  all  happen  before  the  present  age  passes  away.  Earth 
and  sky  will  pass  away  but  my  words  will  never  pass  away. 
But  about  that  day  or  hour  no  one  knows,  not  even  the  angels 
in  heaven  nor  the  Son,  but  only  the  Father.  For  just  as  it  was 
in  the  time  of  Noah,  it  will  be  at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man. 
For  just  as  in  those  days  before  the  flood  people  were  eating 
and  drinking,  marrying  and  being  married,  until  the  very 
day  Noah  entered  the  ark,  and  knew  nothing  about  it  until 
the  flood  came  and  destroyed  them  all,  so  it  will  be  at  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Two  men  will  be  in  the  field; 
one  will  be  taken  and  one  left.  Two  women  will  be  grinding 
with  the  handmill;  one  will  be  taken  and  one  left.  So  you 
must  be  on  the  watch,  for  you  do  not  know  on  what  day  your 
Master  is  coming.  But  you  may  be  sure  of  this,  that  if  the 
master  of  the  house  had  known  in  what  part  of  the  night  the 
thief  was  coming,  he  would  have  been  on  the  watch,  and 
would  not  have  let  his  house  be  broken  into.  Therefore  you 
must  be  ready  too,  for  the  Son  of  Man  is  coming  at  a  time 
when  you  do  not  expect  him. 

“Who  then  will  be  the  faithful,  thoughtful  slave  whom 
his  master  put  in  charge  of  his  household,  to  give  the 
members  of  it  their  supplies  at  the  proper  time  ?  Blessed  is 
that  slave  if  his  master  when  he  returns  finds  him  doing  it. 
I  tell  you,  he  will  put  him  in  charge  of  all  his  property. 
But  if  he  is  a  bad  slave  and  says  to  himself,  ‘My  master  is 
going  to  stay  a  long  time,’  and  begins  to  beat  the  other 
slaves,  and  eats  and  drinks  with  drunkards,  that  slave’s 
master  will  come  back  some  day  when  he  does  not  expect  him, 
and  at  some  time  of  which  he  does  not  know,  and  will  cut  him 
in  two,  and  put  him  with  the  hypocrites,  to  weep  and  gnash 
his  teeth. 

“Then  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  will  be  like  ten  brides¬ 
maids  who  took  their  lamps  and  went  out  to  meet  the  bride¬ 
groom.  Now  five  of  them  were  foolish  and  five  were  sensible. 
For  the  foolish  ones  brought  their  lamps  but  brought  no 
oil  with  them,  but  the  sensible  ones  with  their  lamps 
brought  oil  in  their  flasks.  As  the  bridegroom  was  slow  in 

24:33-25:5 


52 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


coming,  they  all  grew  drowsy  and  fell  asleep.  But  in  the 
middle  of  the  night  there  was  a  shout  ‘Here  is  the  bride¬ 
groom  !  Come  out  and  meet  him !’  Then  all  the  bridesmaids 
awoke,  and  trimmed  their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  ones  said 
to  the  sensible  ones,  ‘Give  us  some  of  your  oil,  for  our  lamps 
are  going  out/  But  the  sensible  ones  answered,  ‘There  may 
not  be  enough  for  us  and  you.  You  had  better  go  to  the 
dealers  and  buy  yourselves  some.’  But  while  they  were 
gone  to  buy  it,  the  bridegroom  arrived,  and  the  ones  that  were 
ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  wedding  banquet,  and  the 
door  was  closed.  Afterward  the  other  bridesmaids  came  and 
said,  ‘Sir!  Sir!  Open  the  door  for  us!’  But  he  answered, 
‘  I  tell  you,  I  do  not  know  you !’  So  you  must  be  on  the  watch, 
for  you  do  not  know  either  the  day  or  the  hour. 

“For  it  is  just  like  a  man  who  was  going  on  a  journey, 
and  called  in  his  slaves,  and  put  his  property  in  their  hands. 
He  gave  one  five  thousand  dollars,  and  another  two  thousand, 
and  another  one  thousand;  to  each  according  to  his  ability. 
Then  he  went  away.  The  man  who  had  received  the  five 
thousand  dollars  immediately  went  into  business  with  the 
money,  and  made  five  thousand  more.  In  the  same  way 
the  man  who  had  received  the  two  thousand  made  two 
thousand  more.  But  the  man  who  had  received  the  one 
thousand  went  away  and  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground  and  hid 
his  master’s  money.  Long  afterward,  their  master  came 
back  and  settled  accounts  with  them.  And  the  man  who 
had  received  the  five  thousand  dollars  came  up  bringing 
him  five  thousand  more,  and  said,  ‘Sir,  you  put  five  thousand 
dollars  in  my  hands;  here  I  have  made  five  thousand  more/ 
His  master  said  to  him,  ‘Well  done,  my  excellent,  faithful 
slave!  you  have  been  faithful  about  a  small  amount;  I  will 
put  a  large  one  into  your  hands.  Come,  share  your  master’s 
enjoyment!’  And  the  man  who  had  received  the  two 
thousand  came  up  and  said  ‘Sir,  you  put  two  thousand 
dollars  into  my  hands;  here  I  have  made  two  thousand 
more/  His  master  said  to  him,  ‘Well  done,  my  excellent, 
faithful  slave!  you  have  been  faithful  about  a  small  amount; 
I  will  put  a  large  one  into  your  hands.  Come!  share  your 
master’s  enjoyment/  And  the  man  who  had  received  the 

25 : 6-24 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  53 


one  thousand  came  up  and  said,  ‘Sir,  I  knew  you  were  a 
hard  man,  who  reaped  where  you  had  not  sown,  and  gathered 
where  you  had  not  threshed,  and  I  was  frightened,  and  I 
went  and  hid  your  thousand  dollars  in  the  ground.  Here 
is  your  money!’  His  master  answered,  ‘You  wicked,  idle 
slave!  You  knew  that  I  reaped  where  I  had  not  sown  and 
gathered  where  I  had  not  threshed  ?  Then  you  ought  to 
have  put  my  money  in  the  bank,  and  then  when  I  came  back 
I  would  have  gotten  my  property  with  interest.  So  take  the 
thousand  dollars  away  from  him,  and  give  it  to  the  man  who 
has  the  ten  thousand,  for  the  man  who  has  will  have  more 
given  him,  and  will  be  plentifully  supplied,  and  from  the 
man  who  has  nothing  even  what  he  has  will  be  taken  away. 
And  put  the  good-for-nothing  slave  out  into  the  darkness 
outside,  to  weep  and  grind  his  teeth  there. 

“When  the  Son  of  Man  comes  in  his  splendor,  with  all  his 
angels  with  him,  he  will  take  his  seat  on  his  glorious  throne, 
and  all  the  nations  will  be  gathered  before  him,  and  he  will 
separate  them  from  one  another,  just  as  a  shepherd  separates 
his  sheep  from  his  goats,  and  he  will  put  the  sheep  at  his  right 
hand  and  the  goats  at  his  left.  Then  the  king  will  say  to 
those  at  his  right,  ‘Come,  you  whom  my  Father  has  blessed, 
take  possession  of  the  kingdom  which  has  been  destined  for 
you  from  the  creation  of  the  world.  For  when  I  was  hungry, 
you  gave  me  food,  when  I  was  thirsty  you  gave  me  something 
to  drink,  when  I  was  a  stranger,  you  invited  me  to  your  homes, 
when  I  had  no  clothes,  you  gave  me  clothes,  when  I  was  sick, 
you  looked  after  me,  when  I  was  in  prison,  you  came  to  see 
me.’  Then  the  upright  will  answer,  ‘Lord,  when  did  we  see 
you  hungry  and  give  you  food,  or  thirsty,  and  give  you  some¬ 
thing  to  drink  ?  When  did  we  see  you  a  stranger,  and  invite 
you  home,  or  without  clothing,  and  supply  you  with  it  ? 
When  did  we  see  you  sick  or  in  prison,  and  go  to  see  you  ?’ 
The  king  will  answer,  ‘  I  tell  you,  in  so  far  as  you  did  it  to  one 
of  the  humblest  of  these  brothers  of  mine,  you  did  it  to  me.’ 
Then  he  will  say  to  those  at  his  left,  ‘Begone,  you  accursed 
people,  to  the  everlasting  fire  destined  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels!  For  when  I  was  hungry,  you  gave  me  nothing  to  eat, 
and  when  I  was  thirsty  you  gave  me  nothing  to  drink, 

25:25-4 2 


54 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


when  I  was  a  stranger,  you  did  not  invite  me  home,  when  I 
had  no  clothes,  you  did  not  supply  me,  when  I  was  sick  and  in 
prison,  you  did  not  look  after  me.’  Then  they  in  their  turn 
will  answer,  ‘Lord,  when  did  we  see  you  hungry,  or  thirsty, 
or  a  stranger,  or  in  need  of  clothes,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and 
did  not  wait  upon  you  ?’  Then  he  will  answer,  ‘I  tell  you, 
in  so  far  as  you  failed  to  do  it  for  one  of  these  people  who  are 
humblest,  you  failed  to  do  it  for  me.’  Then  they  will  go  away 
to  everlasting  punishment,  and  the  upright  to  everlasting 
life.” 

When  Jesus  had  finished  this  discourse  he  said  to  his 
disciples, 

“You  know  that  in  two  days  the  Passover  Festival  will 
come,  and  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  handed  over  to  be  crucified.” 

Then  the  high  priests  and  the  elders  of  the  people  gathered 
in  the  house  of  the  high  priest,  whose  name  was  Caiaphas, 
and  plotted  to  arrest  Jesus  by  stealth  and  put  him  to  death. 
But  they  said, 

“It  must  not  be  during  the  festival,  or  there  may  be  a 
riot.” 

When  Jesus  got  back  to  Bethany,  to  the  house  of  Simon 
the  leper,  a  woman  came  up  to  him  with  an  alabaster  flask 
of  very  expensive  perfume  and  poured  it  upon  his  head,  while 
he  was  at  table.  When  his  disciples  saw  it,  they  said  indig¬ 
nantly, 

“What  was  the  use  of  wasting  it  like  that  ?  It  might 
have  been  sold  for  a  large  sum,  and  the  money  given  to  the 
poor.” 

But  Jesus  observed  this  and  said  to  them, 

“Why  do  you  bother  the  woman  ?  It  is  a  fine  thing 
that  she  has  done  to  me.  For  you  always  have  the  poor 
among  you,  but  you  will  not  always  have  me.  In  pouring 
this  perfume  on  me  she  has  done  something  to  prepare  me  for 
burial.  I  tell  you,  wherever  this  good  news  is  preached  all 
over  the  world,  what  she  has  done  will  also  be  told,  in 
memory  of  her.” 

Then  one  of  the  Twelve,  named  Judas  Iscariot,  went  to 
the  high  priests,  and  said, 

“What  will  you  give  me  if  I  hand  him  over  to  you  ?” 

25:43-26:15 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  55 


And  they  counted  him  out  thirty  silver  pieces.  And  from 
that  time  he  watched  for  a  good  opportunity  to  hand  him 
over  to  them. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  festival  of  Unleavened  Bread,  the 
disciples  came  to  Jesus  and  said, 

“Where  do  you  wish  us  to  make  the  preparations  for  you 
to  eat  the  Passover  supper  ?” 

And  he  said, 

“Go  into  the  city,  to  a  certain  man,  and  say  to  him, 
‘The  Master  says,  “My  time  is  near.  I  am  going  to  keep 
the  Passover  at  your  house  with  my  disciples.” 

So  the  disciples  did  as  Jesus  directed  them,  and  prepared 
the  Passover  supper. 

When  evening  came,  he  took  his  place  at  table  with 
the  twelve  disciples.  And  as  they  were  eating,  he  said, 

“I  tell  you,  one  of  you  will  betray  me!” 

They  were  deeply  hurt  and  began  to  say  to  him  one  after 
another, 

“Can  it  be  I,  Master  ?” 

He  answered, 

“The  man  who  just  dipped  his  hand  in  the  same  dish  with 
me  is  going  to  betray  me.  The  Son  of  Man  is  to  go  away  as 
the  Scriptures  say  of  him,  but  alas  for  the  man  by  whom  the 
Son  of  Man  is  betrayed!  It  would  have  been  better  for  that 
man  if  he  had  never  been  born!” 

Judas,  who  betrayed  him,  said, 

“Can  it  be  I,  Master  ?” 

He  said  to  him, 

“You  are  right!” 

As  they  were  eating  Jesus  took  a  loaf  and  blessed  it, 
and  he  broke  it  in  pieces  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  saying, 

“Take  this  and  eat  it.  It. is  my  body!” 

And  he  took  the  wine-cup  and  gave  thanks  and  gave  it  to 
them,  saying, 

“You  must  all  drink  from  it,  for  this  is  my  blood  which 
ratifies  the  agreement,  and  is  to  be  poured  out  for  many 
people,  for  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  And  I  tell  you  I  will 
never  drink  this  product  of  the  vine  again  till  the  day  when 
I  shall  drink  the  new  wine  with  you  in  my  Father’s  kingdom !” 

26: 16—29 


56 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


After  singing  the  hymn,  they  went  out  of  the  city  and 
up  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

Then  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“You  will  all  desert  me  tonight,  for  the  Scriptures  say, 
‘I  will  strike  the  shepherd,  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock 
will  be  scattered.’  But  after  I  am  raised  to  life  again,  I  will 
go  back  to  Galilee  before  you.” 

Peter  answered, 

“If  they  all  desert  you,  I  will  never  do  it!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“I  tell  you,  tonight,  before  a  cock  crows,  you  will  disown 
me  three  times!” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“Even  if  I  have  to  die  with  you,  I  will  never  disown 
you!”  All  the  disciples  said  so  too. 

Then  Jesus  came  with  them  to  a  place  called  Gethsemane, 
and  he  said  to  the  disciples, 

“Sit  down  here  while  I  go  over  yonder  and  pray.” 

And  he  took  Peter  and  Zebedee’s  two  sons  with  him, 
and  he  began  to  show  grief  and  distress  of  mind.  Then  he 
said  to  them, 

“My  heart  is  almost  breaking.  You  must  stay  here  and 
keep  watch  with  me.” 

And  he  went  on  a  little  way,  and  threw  himself  on  his 
face,  and  prayed,  saying, 

“My  Father,  if  it  is  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  by  me. 
Yet  not  as  I  please  but  as  you  do!” 

When  he  went  back  to  the  disciples  he  found  them 
asleep.  And  he  said  to  Peter, 

“Then  were  you  not  able  to  watch  with  me  for  one  hour  ? 
You  must  all  watch,  and  pray  that  you  may  not  be  exposed 
to  trial!  One’s  spirit  is  eager,  but  flesh  and  blood  are  weak!” 

He  went  away  again  a  second  time  and  prayed,  saying, 

“  My  Father,  if  it  cannot  pass  by  me  without  my  drinking 
it,  your  will  be  done!” 

When  he  came  back  he  found  them  asleep  again,  for  they 
could  hardly  keep  their  eyes  open.  And  he  left  them  and 
went  away  again  and  prayed  a  third  time,  in  the  same  words  as 
before.  Then  he  came  back  to  the  disciples  and  said  to  them, 

26:30-45 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  57 


“Are  you  still  sleeping  and  taking  your  rest  ?  See,  the 
time  has  come  for  the  Son  of  Man  to  be  handed  over  to  wicked 
men!  Get  up!  Let  us  be  going!  Look!  Here  comes  my 
betrayer!” 

Just  as  he  was  speaking,  Judas,  one  of  the  Twelve,  came 
up,  and  with  him  a  great  crowd  with  swords  and  clubs,  from 
the  high  priests  and  the  elders  of  the  people.  Now  the  man 
who  betrayed  him  gave  them  a  signal,  saying 
“The  one  I  kiss  is  the  man.  Seize  him!” 

And  he  went  straight  up  to  Jesus  and  said, 

“Good  evening,  Master!”  and  kissed  him  affectionately. 
Jesus  said  to  him, 

“My  friend,  do  your  errand.” 

Then  they  came  up  and  laid  hands  on  Jesus  and  secured 
him.  One  of  the  men  with  Jesus  put  out  his  hand  and  drew 
his  sword,  and  striking  at  the  high  priest’s  slave,  cut  his  ear 
off.  Then  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Put  your  sword  back  where  it  belongs!  For  all  who 
draw  the  sword  will  die  by  the  sword.  Do  you  suppose  I 
cannot  appeal  to  my  Father,  and  he  would  at  once  furnish  me 
more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels  ?  But  then  how  are  the 
Scriptures  to  be  fulfilled,  which  say  that  this  must  happen  ?” 
At  that  same  time  Jesus  said  to  the  crowd, 

“Have  you  come  out  to  arrest  me  with  swords  and  clubs, 
as  though  I  were  a  robber  ?  Day  after  day  I  have  sat  in  the 
Temple  teaching,  and  you  never  seized  me.  But  this  has  all 
taken  place  in  fulfilment  of  the  writings  of  the  prophets.” 
Then  all  the  disciples  left  him  and  made  their  escape. 

The  men  who  had  seized  Jesus  took  him  away  to  Caiaphas, 
the  high  priest,  at  whose  house  the  scribes  and  elders  had 
gathered.  And  Peter  followed  him  at  a  distance  as  far  as  the 
courtyard  of  the  high  priest’s  house,  and  he  went  inside  and 
sat  down  among  the  attendants  to  see  how  it  came  out.  Now 
the  high  priests  and  the  whole  council  were  trying  to  get  false 
testimony  against  Jesus,  so  that  they  might  put  him  to  death. 
And  they  could  not,  although  many  false  witnesses  presented 
themselves.  But  finally  two  came  forward  and  said, 

“This  man  said,  ‘I  can  tear  down  the  sanctuary  of  God, 
and  build  it  up  in  three  days.’  ” 

26:46-61 


58 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  the  high  priest  got  up  and  said  to  him, 

“Have  you  no  answer  to  make?  What  about  their 
evidence  against  you  ?” 

But  Jesus  was  silent.  And  the  high  priest  said  to  him, 
“I  charge  you,  on  your  oath,  by  the  living  God,  tell  us 
whether  you  are  the  Christ,  the  son  of  God.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“It  is  true.  But  I  tell  you  you  will  soon  see  the  Son  of 
Man  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Almighty  and  coming 
upon  the  clouds  of  the  sky!” 

Then  the  high  priest  tore  his  clothing  and  said, 

“He  has  uttered  blasphemy!  What  do  we  want  of 
witnesses  now  ?  Here  you  have  heard  his  blasphemy! 
What  is  your  decision  ?” 

They  answered, 

“He  deserves  death.” 

Then  they  spat  in  his  face  and  struck  him,  and 
slapped  him,  saying, 

“Show  us  you  are  a  prophet,  you  Christ!  Who 
that  struck  you  ?” 

Now  Peter  was  sitting  outside  in  the  courtyard, 
maid  came  up  to  him,  and  said, 

“You  were  with  Jesus  the  Galilean,  too!” 

But  he  denied  it  before  them  all,  and  said, 

“I  do  not  know  what  you  mean.” 

And  he  went  out  into  the  gateway,  and  another  maid  saw 
him,  and  said  to  the  men  there, 

“This  fellow  was  with  Jesus  the  Nazarene!” 

He  denied  it  again,  with  an  oath,  and  said, 

“I  do  not  know  the  man!” 

A  little  while  after  the  bystanders  came  up  to  Peter,  and 
said, 

“You  are  certainly  one  of  them  too,  for  your  accent 
shows  it!” 

Then  he  started  to  swear  with  the  strongest  oaths, 

“I  do  not  know  the  man!” 

And  at  that  moment  a  cock  crowed.  And  Peter  remem¬ 
bered  Jesus’  words  when  he  had  said, 

“Before  a  cock  crows,  you  will  disown  me  three  times!” 

26:62-75 


others 
was  it 
and  a 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  59 


And  he  went  outside  and  wept  bitterly. 

When  it  was  morning,  all  the  high  priests  and  elders  of 
the  people  held  a  consultation  about  Jesus,  with  a  view  to 
putting  him  to  death.  And  they  bound  him  and  led  him 
away  and  handed  him  over  to  Pilate  the  governor. 

Then  Judas  who  had  betrayed  him,  when  he  saw  that  he 
had  been  condemned,  in  his  remorse  brought  back  the  thirty 
silver  pieces  to  the  high  priests  and  elders,  and  said, 

“I  did  wrong  when  I  handed  an  innocent  man  over  to 
death!” 

They  said, 

“What  is  that  to  us  ?  You  see  to  it  yourself.” 

And  he  threw  down  the  silver  and  left  the  Temple  and 
went  off  and  hung  himself.  The  high  priests  gathered 
up  the  money,  and  they  said, 

“It  is  not  legal  to  put  this  into  the  Temple  treasury,  for 
it  is  blood  money.” 

So  after  consultation  they  bought  with  it  the  Potter’s 
Field  as  a  burial  ground  for  strangers.  For  this  reason  that 
piece  of  ground  has  ever  since  been  called  the  Field  of  Blood. 
So  the  words  spoken  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah  were 
fulfilled:  “They  took  the  thirty  silver  pieces,  the  price  of  the 
one  whose  price  had  been  fixed,  on  whom  some  of  the  Israelites 
had  set  a  price,  and  gave  them  for  the  Potter’s  Field  as  the 
Lord  directed  me.” 

Now  Jesus  stood  before  the  governor,  and  the  governor 
asked  him, 

“Are  you  the  king  of  the  Jews  ?” 

Jesus  said, 

i  <  V  >> 

i  es. 

And  while  the  high  priests  and  elders  were  making  their 
charges  against  him,  he  made  no  answer.  Then  Pilate  said  to 
him, 

“Do  you  not  hear  what  evidence  they  are  bringing 
against  you  ?” 

And  he  made  him  no  reply  to  even  a  single  accusation,  so 
that  the  governor  was  greatly  surprised.  Now  at  festival 
time  the  governor  was  accustomed  to  release  for  the  people 
any  prisoner  whom  they  chose,  and  at  this  time  there  was  a 

27: 1 — 16 


6o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


notorious  prisoner  named  Barabbas.  So  when  they  gathered 
to  ask  this,  Pilate  said  to  them, 

“  Which  one  do  you  want  me  to  release  for  you,  Barabbas, 
or  Jesus,  the  so-called  Christ?” 

For  he  knew  that  they  had  handed  him  over  to  him  out  of 
envy.  Now  while  he  was  on  the  bench  his  wife  sent  to  him 
to  say, 

“Do  not  have  anything  to  do  with  that  upright  man,  for 
I  have  just  had  a  painful  experience  in  a  dream  about 
him.” 

But  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  prevailed  on  the 
crowd  to  ask  for  Barabbas,  and  to  have  Jesus  put  to  death. 
And  the  governor  answered, 

“Which  of  the  two  do  you  want  me  to  release  for  you  ?” 
They  said, 

“  Barabbas!” 

Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Then  what  am  I  to  do  with  Jesus,  the  so-called  Christ  ?” 
They  all  said, 

“Have  him  crucified!” 

He  said, 

“Why,  what  has  he  done  that  is  wrong  ?” 

But  they  shouted  all  the  louder, 

“Have  him  crucified!” 

When  Pilate  saw  that  he  was  gaining  nothing  but  that  a 
riot  was  beginning  instead,  he  took  some  water  and  washed 
his  hands  in  the  presence  of  the  crowd,  saying, 

“I  am  not  responsible  for  this  man’s  death;  you  must  see 
to  it  yourselves.” 

And  all  the  people  answered, 

“His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children!” 

Then  he  released  Barabbas  for  them,  and  he  had  Jesus 
flogged  and  handed  him  over  to  be  crucified. 

Then  the  governor’s  soldiers  took  Jesus  into  the  barracks, 
and  got  the  whole  battalion  together  about  him.  And  they 
stripped  him  and  put  a  red  cloak  on  him,  and  made  a  wreath 
of  thorns  and  put  it  on  his  head,  and  they  put  a  stick  in  his 
hand,  and  knelt  down  before  him  in  mockery,  saying, 

“Long  live  the  king  of  the  Jews!” 

27:17-29 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  6 1 


And  they  spat  at  him,  and  took  the  stick  and  struck  him 
on  the  head.  And  when  they  had  finished  making  sport  of 
him,  they  took  off  the  cloak,  and  put  his  own  clothes  on  him, 
and  led  him  away  to  be  crucified. 

As  they  went  out  of  the  city  they  came  upon  a  Cyrenian 
named  Simon,  and  they  forced  him  to  carry  Jesus’  cross. 
When  they  came  to  a  place  called  Golgotha,  which  means 
the  Place  of  the  Skull,  they  offered  him  a  drink  of  wine 
mixed  with  gall,  and  when  he  tasted  it  he  would  not  drink  it. 
And  they  crucified  him  and  divided  up  his  clothes  among 
them  by  drawing  lots,  and  sat  down  there  to  keep  watch  of 
him.  They  put  above  his  head  the  charge  against  him, 
which  read, 

“This  is  Jesus,  the  king  of  the  Jews.” 

There  were  two  robbers  crucified  with  him  at  the  time, 
one  at  his  right  and  one  at  his  left.  And  the  passers-by 
jeered  at  him,  shaking  their  heads  and  saying, 

“You  who  would  tear  down  the  sanctuary,  and  build 
one  in  three  days,  save  yourself!  If  you  are  the  Son  of 
God,  come  down  from  the  cross!” 

And  the  high  priests,  too,  made  sport  of  him  with  the 
scribes  and  elders,  and  said, 

“He  saved  others,  but  he  cannot  save  himself!  He  is 
King  of  Israel;  let  him  come  down  from  the  cross  now,  and 
we  will  believe  in  him.  He  trusts  in  God;  let  God  deliver 
him  if  he  cares  for  him,  for  he  said  he  was  God’s  son.” 

Even  the  robbers  who  were  crucified  with  him  abused 
him  in  the  same  way. 

Now  from  noon  there  was  darkness  over  the  whole 
country  until  three  o’clock.  And  about  three,  Jesus  called 
out  loudly, 

“Eloi,  Eloi,  lema  sabachthani  ?”  that  is,  “My  God! 
My  God!  Why  have  you  forsaken  me  ?” 

Some  of  the  bystanders  when  they  heard  it  said, 

“The  man  is  calling  for  Elijah!” 

And  one  of  them  ran  off  at  once  and  got  a  sponge  and 
soaked  it  in  sour  wine  and  put  it  on  the  end  of  a  stick  and 
held  it  up  to  him  to  drink.  But  the  others  said, 

“Let  us  see  whether  Elijah  will  come  to  save  him.” 

27:30^49 


6i 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  Jesus  cried  out  again  loudly,  and  gave  up  his  spirit. 
And  at  once  the  curtain  of  the  sanctuary  was  torn  in  two  from 
top  to  bottom.  The  earth  shook,  the  rocks  split,  the  tombs 
opened,  and  many  of  the  saints  who  had  fallen  asleep  rose 
and  left  their  tombs  and  after  his  resurrection  went  into  the 
holy  city  and  showed  themselves  to  many  people.  And  the 
captain  and  the  men  with  him  who  were  watching  Jesus, 
when  they  saw  the  earthquake  and  all  that  was  happening,  said, 

“He  surely  must  have  been  a  son  of  God!” 

There  were  several  women  there  watching  from  a  distance 
who  had  followed  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  wait  upon  him, 
among  them  Mary  of  Magdala,  Mary  the  mother  of  James 
and  Joseph,  and  the  mother  of  Zebedee’s  sons. 

In  the  evening  a  rich  man  named  Joseph,  from  Arimathea, 
who  had  himself  been  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  came.  He  went  to 
Pilate  and  asked  him  for  Jesus’  body.  Then  Pilate  ordered 
it  to  be  given  to  him.  And  Joseph  took  the  body  and 
wrapped  it  in  a  piece  of  clean  linen,  and  laid  it  in  a  new  tomb 
that  belonged  to  him,  that  he  had  cut  in  the  rock,  and  he 
rolled  a  great  stone  over  the  doorway  of  the  tomb,  and  went 
away.  And  Mary  of  Magdala  and  the  other  Mary  remained 
there,  sitting  before  the  tomb. 

On  the  next  day,  that  is,  the  day  after  the  Preparation 
Day,  the  high  priests  and  Pharisees  went  in  a  body  to  Pilate 
and  said, 

“Sir,  we  remember  that  when  this  impostor  was  alive 
he  said,  ‘  After  three  days  I  will  rise  again !’  Give  orders,  there¬ 
fore,  to  have  the  tomb  closely  guarded  till  the  third  day,  so  that 
his  disciples  cannot  come  and  steal  him,  and  then  tell  the 
people  that  he  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  that  delusion  be 
worse  than  the  other  was.” 

Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Take  a  guard  of  soldiers,  and  go  and  make  it  as  secure  as 
you  can.” 

And  they  went  and  set  the  guard  and  put  a  seal  on  the 
stone. 

After  the  Sabbath,  as  the  first  day  of  the  week  was, 
dawning,  Mary  of  Magdala  and  the  other  Mary  went  to  look 
at  the  tomb.  And  there  was  a  great  earthquake.  For  an 

27: 50-28:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW  63 


angel  of  the  Lord  came  down  from  heaven  and  went  and  rolled 
the  stone  back  and  sat  upon  it.  His  appearance  was  like 
lightning  and  his  clothing  was  as  white  as  snow.  The  men 
on  guard  trembled  with  fear  of  him,  and  became  like  dead 
men.  And  the  angel  said  to  the  women, 

“You  need  not  be  afraid.  I  know  that  you  are  looking  for 
Jesus  who  was  crucified.  He  is  not  here,  he  has  risen,  as  he 
said  he  would  do.  Come  and  see  the  place  where  he  was  lying. 
Now  go  quickly  and  tell  his  disciples,  ‘He  has  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  is  going  back  to  Galilee  before  you.  You  will  see 
him  there.’  Now  I  have  given  you  my  message.” 

And  they  hurried  away  from  the  tomb  frightened  and 
yet  overjoyed,  and  ran  to  tell  the  news  to  his  disciples. 
And  Jesus  himself  met  them,  and  said, 

“Good  morning  1” 

And  they  went  up  to  him  and  clasped  his  feet,  and  bowed 
to  the  ground  before  him.  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“You  need  not  be  afraid.  Go  and  tell  my  brothers  to  go 
to  Galilee  and  they  will  see  me  there.” 

While  they  were  on  their  way,  some  of  the  guard  went  into 
the  city  and  reported  to  the  high  priests  all  that  had  happened. 
And  they  got  together  and  consulted  with  the  elders,  and 
gave  the  soldiers  a  large  sum  of  money,  and  said  to  them, 
“Tell  people  that  his  disciples  came  in  the  night  and 
stole  him  away  while  you  were  asleep.  And  if  news  of  it 
reaches  the  governor,  we  will  satisfy  him,  and  see  that  you  do 
not  get  into  trouble.” 

So  they  took  the  money  and  did  as  they  were  told. 
And  this  story  has  been  current  among  the  Jews  ever  since. 

And  the  eleven  disciples  went  to  Galilee  to  the  mountain 
to  which  Jesus  had  directed  them.  There  they  saw  him  and 
bowetl  down  before  him,  though  some  were  in  doubt  about  it. 
And  Jesus  came  up  to  them  and  said, 

“  Full  authority  in  heaven  and  on  the  earth  has  been  given 
to  me.  Therefore  go  and  make  disciples  of  all  the  heathen, 
baptize  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
holy  Spirit,  and  teach  them  to  observe  all  the  commands  that 
I  have  given  you.  I  will  always  be  with  you,  to  the  very 
close  of  the  age.” 


28:3—20 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


The  beginning  of  the  good  news  of  Jesus  Christ. 

As  it  is  written  in  the  prophet  Isaiah, 

“Here  I  send  my  messenger  on  before  you; 

He  will  prepare  your  way; 

Hark!  Someone  is  shouting  in  the  desert, 

‘Get  the  Lord’s  way  ready, 

Make  his  paths  straight,’  ” 

John  the  baptizer  appeared  in  the  desert,  and  preached 
repentance  and  baptism  in  order  to  obtain  the  forgiveness 
of  sins.  And  all  Judea  and  everybody  in  Jerusalem  went  out 
to  him  there,  and  accepted  baptism  from  him  in  the  Jordan 
River,  acknowledging  their  sins.  John’s  clothing  was  made  of 
hair  cloth,  and  the  belt  around  his  waist  was  leather,  and  he 
lived  on  dried  locusts  and  wild  honey.  And  this  was  his 
message: 

“After  me  there  is  coming  one  stronger  than  I  am,  one 
whose  shoes  I  am  not  fit  to  stoop  down  and  untie.  I  have 
baptized  you  in  water,  but  he  will  baptize  you  in  the  holy 
Spirit.” 


It  was  in  those  days  that  Jesus  came  from  Nazareth  in 
Galilee,  and  was  baptized  by  John  in  the  Jordan.  And 
just  as  he  was  coming  up  out  of  the  water  he  saw  the  heavens 
torn  open  and  the  Spirit  coming  down  like  a  dove  to  enter 
into  him,  and  out  of  the  heavens  came  a  voice: 

“You  are  my  Son,  my  Beloved!  You  are  my  Chosen!” 
The  spirit  immediately  drove  him  out  into  the  desert. 
And  he  remained  in  the  desert  for  forty  days,  and  Satan 
tried  to  tempt  him  there;  and  he  was  among  the  wild  animals; 
but  the  angels  waited  on  him. 

After  John  was  arrested,  Jesus  went  into  Galilee  proclaim¬ 
ing  the  good  news  from  God,  saying, 

i :  i— 1 5  64 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  65 


“The  time  has  come  and  the  reign  of  God  is  near;  repent, 
and  believe  this  good  news.” 

As  he  was  passing  along  the  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 
he  saw  Simon  and  his  brother  Andrew  casting  their  nets  in 
the  sea,  for  they  were  fishermen.  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Come,  follow  me,  and  I  will  make  you  fish  for  men.” 

They  immediately  abandoned  their  nets  and  followed 
him.  He  went  on  a  little  farther  and  saw  James,  the  son  of 
Zebedee,  and  his  brother  John;  they  too  were  in  their  boat 
putting  their  nets  in  order.  He  immediately  called  them. 
And  they  left  their  father  Zebedee  in  the  boat  with  the  hired 
men  and  went  off  after  him. 

They  proceeded  to  Capernaum,  and  on  the  very  first 
Sabbath  he  went  to  the  synagogue  and  taught.  And  they 
were  amazed  at  his  teaching,  for  he  taught  them  like  one  who 
had  authority,  and  not  like  the  scribes.  Just  then  there 
was  in  their  synagogue  a  man  under  the  control  of  a  foul 
spirit,  and  he  cried  out, 

“What  do  you  want  of  us,  Jesus,  you  Nazarene  ?  Have 
you  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  who  you  are,  you  are 
God’s  holy  One!” 

Jesus  reproved  him,  and  said, 

“Silence!  Get  out  of  him!” 

The  foul  spirit  convulsed  the  man  and  gave  a  loud  cry 
and  went  out  of  him.  And  they  were  all  so  amazed  that  they 
discussed  it  with  one  another,  and  said, 

“What  does  this  mean  ?  It  is  a  new  teaching!  He 
gives  orders  with  authority  even  to  the  foul  spirits,  and  they 
obey  him!” 

And  his  fame  immediately  spread  in  all  directions  through 
the  whole  neighborhood  of  Galilee. 

As  soon  as  they  left  the  synagogue,  they  went  with 
James  and  John  to  the  house  of  Simon  and  Andrew.  Simon’s 
mother-in-law  was  in  bed,  sick  with  a  fever,  and  they  immedi¬ 
ately  told  him  about  her.  And  he  went  up  to  her,  and 
grasping  her  hand,  he  made  her  rise.  And  the  fever  left  her, 
and  she  waited  on  them. 

In  the  evening,  after  sunset,  they  brought  to  him  all 
who  were  sick  or  possessed  by  demons,  and  the  whole  town 

1:16-33 


66 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


was  gathered  at  the  door.  And  he  cured  many  who  were 
sick  with  various  diseases,  and  drove  out  many  demons,  and 
he  would  not  let  the  demons  speak,  because  they  knew  that 
he  was  Christ. 

Early  in  the  morning,  long  before  daylight,  he  got  up 
and  left  the  house  and  went  off  to  a  lonely  spot,  and  prayed 
there.  And  Simon  and  his  companions  sought  him  out 
and  found  him,  and  said  to  him, 

“They  are  all  looking  for  you!” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Let  us  go  somewhere  else,  to  the  neighboring  country 
towns,  so  that  I  may  preach  in  them,  too,  for  that  is  why 
I  came  out  here.” 

So  he  went  all  through  Galilee,  preaching  in  their  syna¬ 
gogues  and  driving  out  the  demons. 

There  came  to  him  a  leper  appealing  to  him  on  his  knees, 
saying  to  him, 

“If  you  only  choose,  you  can  cure  me.” 

And  he  pitied  him  and  stretched  out  his  hand  and  touched 
him,  and  said  to  him, 

“I  do  choose!  Be  cured!” 

And  the  leprosy  immediately  left  him,  and  he  was  cured. 
And  Jesus  immediately  drove  him  away  with  stern  injunc¬ 
tions,  saying  to  him, 

“See  that  you  say  nothing  about  this  to  anybody,  but 
begone !  show  yourself  to  the  priest,  and  in  proof  of  your  cure 
make  the  offerings  for  your  purification  which  Moses  pre¬ 
scribed.” 

But  he  went  off  and  began  to  talk  so  much  about  it,  and 
to  spread  the  story  so  widely,  that  Jesus  could  no  longer  go 
into  a  town  openly,  but  stayed  out  in  unfrequented  places, 
and  people  came  to  him  from  every  direction. 

Some  days  later  he  came  back  to  Capernaum,  and  people 
heard  that  he  was  at  home,  and  such  a  crowd  gathered  that 
after  a  while  there  was  no  room  even  around  the  door,  and  he 
was  telling  them  his  message.  And  some  people  came 
bringing  to  him  a  man  who  was  paralyzed,  four  of  them 
carrying  him.  As  they  could  not  get  him  near  Jesus  on 
account  of  the  crowd,  they  broke  open  the  roof  just  over  his 

1:34-2:4 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  67 


head,  and  through  the  opening  they  lowered  the  mat  with 
the  paralytic  lying  on  it.  When  Jesus  saw  their  faith,  he 
said  to  the  paralytic, 

“My  son,  your  sins  are  forgiven.” 

There  were  some  scribes  sitting  there  pondering  and 
saying  to  themselves, 

“Why  does  this  man  talk  so  ?  This  is  blasphemy.  Who 
can  forgive  sins  but  God  alone  ?” 

Jesus,  at  once  perceiving  by  his  spirit  that  they  were 
pondering  over  this,  said  to  them, 

“Why  do  you  ponder  over  this  in  your  minds  ?  Which 
is  easier,  to  say  to  this  paralytic,  ‘Your  sins  are  forgiven,’ 
or  to  say  to  him,  ‘Get  up  and  pick  up  your  mat  and 
walk  ’  ?  But  to  let  you  know  that  the  Son  of  Man  has 
authority  to  forgive  sins  on  earth,”  turning  to  the  paralytic 
he  said,  “I  tell  you,  get  up,  pick  up  your  mat,  and  go  home!” 

And  he  got  up,  and  immediately  picked  up  his  mat  and 
went  out  before  them  all,  so  that  they  were  all  astonished  and 
acknowledged  the  power  of  God,  saying, 

“We  never  saw  anything  like  this  before.” 

He  went  out  of  the  town  again  and  along  the  shore, 
and  all  the  people  came  to  him  and  he  taught  them.  And  as 
he  was  passing  along  he  saw  Levi,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  sitting 
at  the  tollhouse,  and  he  said  to  him, 

“  Follow  me.” 

And  he  got  up  and  followed  him. 

He  was  at  table  in  his  house,  with  many  tax-collectors 
and  irreligious  people  who  were  at  table  with  him  and  his 
disciples,  for  there  were  many  of  them  among  his  followers. 
And  when  the  scribes  who  were  of  the  Pharisees’  party  saw 
that  he  was  eating  with  irreligious  people  and  tax-collectors, 
they  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Why  does  he  eat  with  tax-collectors  and  irreligious 
people  ?” 

Jesus  heard  it,  and  said  to  them, 

“It  is  not  well  people  but  the  sick  who  have  to  have  the 
doctor.  I  did  not  come  to  invite  the  pious  but  the  irreligious.” 

Now  John’s  disciples  and  the  Pharisees  were  keeping  a 
fast.  And  people  came  and  asked  him, 

2:5-18 


68 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“  Why  is  it  that  when  John’s  disciples  and  the  disciples 
of  the  Pharisees  are  keeping  the  fast,  yours  are  not 
keeping  it  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Can  wedding  guests  fast  while  the  bridegroom  is  with 
them  ?  As  long  as  they  have  the  bridegroom  with  them 
they  cannot  fast.  But  a  time  will  come  when  the  bridegroom 
will  be  taken  from  them,  and  when  that  day  comes,  they 
will  fast.  No  one  sews  a  patch  of  unshrunken  cloth  on  an 
old  coat;  or  if  he  does,  the  patch  tears  away,  the  new  from 
the  old,  and  makes  the  hole  worse  than  ever.  And  no  one 
pours  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins;  or  if  he  does,  the  wine 
bursts  the  skins,  and  the  wine  is  lost,  and  the  skins  too. 
New  wine  has  to  be  put  into  fresh  skins.” 

He  happened  to  be  passing  through  the  wheat  fields  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  his  disciples  began  to  pick  the  heads  of  wheat 
as  they  made  their  way  through.  And  the  Pharisees  said 
to  him, 

“Look!  Why  are  they  doing  what  it  is  against  the  law 
to  do  on  the  Sabbath  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Did  you  never  read  what  David  did,  when  he  was  in 
need  and  hungry,  he  and  his  men  ?  How  is  it  that  he  went 
into  the  house  of  God  when  Abiathar  was  high  priest,  and  ate 
the  Presentation  Loaves,  which  it  is  against  the  law  for  anyone 
but  the  priests  to  eat,  and  gave  some  to  his  companions  too  ?” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  not  man  for  the 
Sabbath,  and  so  the  Son  of  Man  is  master  even  of  the 
Sabbath.” 

He  went  again  to  a  synagogue,  and  there  was  a  man 
there  with  one  hand  withered.  And  they  were  watching  him 
closely,  to  see  whethei  he  would  cure  him  on  the  Sabbath, 
in  order  to  get  a  charge  to  bring  against  him.  He  said  to  the 
man  with  the  withered  hand, 

“Get  up  and  come  forward.” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“  Is  it  allowable  to  do  people  good  on  the  Sabbath,  or  to 
do  them  harm  ?  To  save  life  or  to  kill  ?”  But  they  made 

2:19-3:5 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  69 


no  answer.  And  he  looked  around  at  them  with  anger, 
hurt  by  their  obstinacy,  and  he  said  to  the  man, 

“Hold  out  your  hand!” 

And  he  held  it  out,  and  his  hand  was  cured.  Then 
the  Pharisees  left  the  synagogue  and  immediately  consulted 
with  the  Herodians  about  Jesus,  with  a  view  to  putting  him 
to  death. 

So  Jesus  retired  with  his  disciples  to  the  seashore,  and  a 
great  many  people  from  Galilee  followed  him,  and  from 
Judea  and  Jerusalem  and  Idumea  and  from  the  other  side  of 
the  Jordan  and  from  the  neighborhood  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  a 
great  many  who  had  heard  of  the  things  he  was  doing  came 
to  him.  He  told  his  disciples  to  have  a  boat  always  ready 
for  his  use,  to  prevent  his  being  crushed  by  the  crowd.  For 
he  cured  so  many  people  that  all  who  had  any  ailments  pressed 
up  to  him  to  touch  him.  And  whenever  the  foul  spirits  saw 
him,  they  fell  down  before  him  and  screamed  out, 

“You  are  the  Son  of  God!”  And  he  warned  them 
repeatedly  not  to  tell  who  he  was. 

And  he  went  up  the  hillside  and  summoned  to  him 
those  whom  he  wanted,  and  they  went  to  him.  He  appointed 
twelve  of  them,  whom  he  called  apostles,  to  be  with  him 
and  to  be  sent  out  to  preach,  with  power  to  drive  out  the 
demons.  These  were  the  twelve  he  appointed:  Peter,  which 
was  the  name  he  gave  to  Simon,  James  the  son  of  Zebedee, 
and  John,  James’s  brother  (he  named  them  Boanerges,  that  is, 
Sons  of  Thunder),  Andrew,  Philip,  Bartholomew,  Matthew, 
Thomas,  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  Thaddeus,  Simon  the 
Zealot,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  who  betrayed  him. 

Then  he  went  home.  And  again  the  crowd  gathered  in 
such  numbers  that  there  was  no  chance  for  them  even  to  have 
their  meals.  His  relatives  heard  of  it  and  came  over  to 
stop  him,  for  they  said  that  he  was  out  of  his  mind.  And  the 
scribes  who  had  come  down  from  Jerusalem  said  that  he  was 
possessed  by  Beelzebub  and  drove  out  demons  by  the  help 
of  the  prince  of  demons.  So  he  called  them  to  him  and 
spoke  to  them  in  figures,  saying, 

“How  can  Satan  drive  Satan  out  ?  If  a  kingdom  is  dis¬ 
united,  that  kingdom  cannot  last.  And  if  a  household  is 

3:6-25 


7° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


disunited,  that  household  cannot  last.  And  if  Satan  has 
rebelled  against  himself  and  become  disunited,  he  cannot 
last  but  is  coming  to  his  end.  But  no  one  can  go  into  a 
strong  man’s  house  and  carry  off  his  property  unless  he  first 
binds  the  strong  man;  after  that  he  can  plunder  his  house. 
I  tell  you,  men  will  be  forgiven  for  everything,  for  all  their 
sins  and  all  the  abusive  things  they  say.  But  whoever  reviles 
the  holy  Spirit  can  never  be  forgiven,  but  is  guilty  of  an 
unending  sin.” 

This  was  because  they  said,  “He  is  possessed  by  a  foul 

•  •  yy 

spirit. 

And  his  mother  and  his  brothers  came.  And  they  stood 
outside  the  house  and  sent  word  in  to  him  to  come  outside 
to  them.  There  was  a  crowd  sitting  around  him  when  they 
told  him, 

“Your  mother  and  your  brothers  are  outside  asking 
for  you.” 

He  answered, 

“Who  are  my  mother  and  my  brothers  ?” 

And  looking  around  at  the  people  sitting  about  him,  he 
said, 

“Elere  are  my  mother  and  my  brothers!  Whoever  does 
the  will  of  God  is  my  brother  and  sister  and  mother.” 

Then  he  began  again  to  teach  by  the  seashore.  And  a 
crowd  gathered  around  him  so  great  that  he  got  into  a  boat 
and  sat  in  it,  a  little  way  from  the  shore,  while  all  the  people 
were  on  the  land  close  to  the  water.  He  taught  them  many 
lessons  in  figures,  and  said  to  them  in  the  course  of  his 
teaching, 

“Listen:  A  sower  went  out  to  sow,  and  as  he  was  sowing, 
some  of  the  seed  chanced  to  fall  by  the  path,  and  the  birds 
came  and  ate  it  up.  Some  of  it  fell  on  rocky  ground,  and 
where  there  was  not  much  soil,  and  it  sprang  up  at  once 
because  the  soil  was  not  deep,  but  when  the  sun  came  up,  it 
was  scorched,  and  withered  up,  because  it  had  no  root.  Some 
of  the  seed  fell  among  the  thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up 
and  choked  it  out,  and  it  yielded  no  grain.  And  some  fell  on 
good  soil,  and  came  up  and  grew  and  yielded  thirty,  sixty, 
even  a  hundredfold.” 

3:26-4:8 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


7i 


And  he  said, 

“Let  him  who  has  ears  be  sure  to  listen!” 

When  he  was  by  himself,  those  who  stayed  about  him 
with  the  Twelve  asked  him  about  the  figures  he  had  used. 
And  he  said  to  them, 

“To  you  has  been  intrusted  the  secret  of  the  reign  of 
God,  but  to  those  outsiders  everything  is  offered  in  figures, 
so  that 

“‘They  may  look  and  look  and  yet  not  see, 

And  listen  and  listen  and  yet  not  understand, 

Lest  possibly  they  should  turn  and  be  forgiven.’  ” 

And  Jesus  said, 

“If  you  do  not  understand  this  figure,  then  how  will  you 
understand  my  other  figures  ?  What  the  sower  sows  is  the 
message.  The  ones  by  the  path  are  those  into  whose  hearts 
the  message  falls,  and  as  soon  as  they  hear  it  Satan  comes 
and  carries  off  the  message  that  has  been  sown  in  their 
hearts.  It  is  so  too  with  the  ones  sown  on  the  rocky  ground; 
they  gladly  accept  the  message  as  soon  as  they  hear  it,  but 
it  takes  no  real  root  in  them  and  they  last  only  a  little  while; 
then  when  trouble  or  persecution  comes  because  of  the  message 
they  give  it  up  at  once.  It  is  different  with  those  sown  among 
the  thorns.  They  are  people  who  listen  to  the  message,  but 
the  worries  of  the  time  and  the  pleasure  of  being  rich  and 
passions  for  other  things  creep  in  and  choke  the  message  out 
and  it  yields  nothing.  And  the  ones  sown  in  good  ground 
are  the  people  who  listen  to  the  message  and  welcome  it  and 
yield  thirty,  sixty,  even  a  hundredfold. 

“Do  people  get  out  the  lamp,”  he  said  to  them,  “and 
then  put  it  under  the  peck-measure,  or  under  the  bed,  instead 
of  putting  it  up  where  it  belongs  ?  For  no  one  hides  anything 
except  for  the  purpose  of  sometime  bringing  it  to  light  again, 
and  people  keep  things  secret  only  to  reveal  them  some  day. 
If  anyone  has  ears  let  him  be  sure  to  listen. 

“Take  care  what  you  hear,”  he  said  to  them.  “The 
measure  you  give  will  be  given  to  you,  and  even  more  beside. 
For  people  who  have  will  have  more  given  them,  and  from 
people  who  have  nothing,  even  what  they  have  will  be  taken 
away. 


4:9-25 


72 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“The  reign  of  God,”  he  said,  “is  like  a  man  scattering 
seed  on  the  ground,  and  then  sleeping  at  night  and  getting 
up  by  day,  while  the  seed  sprouts  and  comes  up,  without  his 
knowing  it.  The  ground  of  itself  is  productive,  putting 
forth  first  a  blade,  then  a  head,  then  fully  developed  wheat  in 
the  head.  But  as  soon  as  the  crop  will  let  him,  the  man 
goes  in  with  his  sickle,  for  the  harvest  time  has  come. 

“How  can  we  find  any  comparison,”  he  said,  “for  the 
reign  of  God,  or  what  figure  can  we  use  to  describe  it  ?  It  is 
like  a  mustard  seed,  which,  when  sown  in  the  ground,  though 
it  is  the  smallest  of  all  the  seeds  in  the  world,  yet  once  sown, 
comes  up  and  grows  to  be  the  largest  of  all  the  plants,  and 
produces  branches  so  large  that  the  wild  birds  can  roost 
under  the  shelter  of  it.” 

With  many  such  figures  he  told  them  the  message,  as  far 
as  they  were  able  to  receive  it.  He  said  nothing  to  them 
except  in  figures,  but  in  private  he  explained  everything  to 
his  own  disciples. 

That  same  day  when  it  was  evening  he  said  to  them, 

“Let  us  cross  to  the  other  side.” 

So  they  left  the  crowd  and  took  him  away  in  the  boat  in 
which  he  was  sitting.  There  were  other  boats  with  him. 
And  a  heavy  squall  of  wind  came  on  and  the  waves  dashed 
into  the  boat,  so  that  it  was  beginning  to  fill.  He  was  in  the 
stern,  asleep  on  the  cushion.  And  they  woke  him  up  and 
said  to  him, 

“Master,  does  it  make  no  difference  to  you  that  we  are 
sinking  ?” 

Then  he  awoke  and  reproved  the  wind,  and  said  to  the  sea, 

“Hush!  Silence!” 

And  the  wind  went  down  and  there  was  a  great  calm. 
And  he  said  to  them, 

“Why  are  you  afraid  ?  Have  you  still  no  faith  ?” 

And  they  were  very  much  frightened,  and  said  to  one 
another, 

“Who  can  he  be  ?  For  even  the  wind  and  the  sea  obey 
him.” 

So  they  reached  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  and  landed  in  the 
region  of  Gerasa.  As  soon  as  he  got  out  of  the  boat,  a  man 

4 : 26-5 :  a 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


73 


possessed  by  a  foul  spirit  came  out  of  the  burial  places  near 
by  to  meet  him.  This  man  lived  among  the  tombs,  and 
no  one  could  any  longer  secure  him  even  with  a  chain, 
for  he  had  often  been  fastened  with  fetters  and  chains  and 
had  snapped  the  chains  and  broken  the  fetters;  and  there  was 
no  one  strong  enough  to  master  him,  and  night  and  day  he  was 
always  shrieking  among  the  tombs  and  on  the  hills  and  cutting 
himself  with  stones.  And  catching  sight  of  Jesus  in  the 
distance  he  ran  up  and  made  obeisance  to  him  and  screamed 
out, 

“What  do  you  want  of  me,  Jesus,  son  of  the  Most  High 
God  ?  In  God’s  name,  I  implore  you,  do  not  torture  me.” 
For  he  was  saying  to  him, 

“You  foul  spirit,  come  out  of  this  man.” 

He  asked  him, 

“What  is  your  name  ?” 

He  said, 

“My  name  is  Legion,  for  there  are  many  of  us.” 

And  they  begged  him  earnestly  not  to  send  them  out  of 
that  country. 

Now  there  was  a  great  drove  of  pigs  feeding  there  on  the 
hillside.  And  they  implored  him, 

“Send  us  among  the  pigs,  let  us  go  into  them.” 

So  he  gave  them  permission.  And  the  foul  spirits  came 
out  and  went  into  the  pigs,  and  the  drove  of  about  two 
thousand  rushed  over  the  steep  bank  into  the  sea  and  were 
drowned.  And  the  men  who  tended  them  ran  away  and 
spread  the  news  in  the  town  and  in  the  country  around,  and 
the  people  came  to  see  what  had  happened.  When  they 
came  to  Jesus  and  found  the  demoniac  sitting  quietly  with  his 
clothes  on  and  in  his  right  mind — the  same  man  who  had 
been  possessed  by  Legion — they  were  frightened.  And  those 
who  had  seen  it  told  them  what  had  happened  to  the 
demoniac,  and  all  about  the  pigs.  And  they  began  to  beg 
him  to  leave  their  district.  As  he  was  getting  into  the  boat, 
the  man  who  had  been  possessed  begged  to  be  allowed  to  go 
with  him.  And  he  would  not  permit  it,  but  said  to  him, 

“Go  home  to  your  own  people,  and  tell  them  all  the 
Lord  has  done  for  you  and  how  he  took  pity  on  you.”  And 

5:3-20 


74 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


he  went  off  and  began  to  tell  everybody  in  the  Ten  Towns 
all  Jesus  had  done  for  him;  and  they  were  all  astonished. 

When  Jesus  had  crossed  again  in  the  boat  to  the  other 
side,  a  great  crowd  gathered  about  him  as  he  stood  on  the 
shore.  And  a  man  named  Jairus,  the  leader  of  a  synagogue, 
came  up  and  seeing  him  threw  himself  at  his  feet  and 
appealed  to  him,  saying, 

“My  little  daughter  is  at  the  point  of  death.  Come, 
lay  your  hands  on  her,  so  that  she  may  get  well  and  live!” 

So  he  went  with  him.  And  a  great  crowd  followed  him 
and  pressed  around  him.  And  a  woman  who  had  had  a 
hemorrhage  for  twelve  years  and  had  had  a  great  deal  of 
treatment  from  various  doctors  and  had  not  been  benefited 
at  all  but  had  actually  grown  worse,  had  heard  about  Jesus. 
And  she  came  up  in  the  crowd  behind  him  and  touched  his 
coat,  for  she  said, 

“If  I  can  only  touch  his  clothes,  I  shall  get  well.” 

The  hemorrhage  stopped  at  once,  and  she  felt  in  her  body 
that  she  was  cured.  Jesus  instantly  perceived  that  healing 
power  had  passed  from  him,  and  he  turned  around  in  the 
crowd  and  said, 

“Who  touched  my  clothes  ?” 

His  disciples  said  to  him, 

“You  see  the  crowd  pressing  around  you,  and  yet  you  ask, 
‘Who  touched  me  ?’  ” 

But  he  still  looked  around  to  see  the  person  who  had  done 
it.  The  woman,  knowing  what  had  happened  to  her,  came 
forward  frightened  and  trembling,  and  threw  herself  down 
at  his  feet  and  told  him  the  whole  truth.  And  he  said 
to  her, 

“My  daughter,  it  is  your  faith  that  has  cured  you.  Go 
in  peace  and  be  free  from  your  disease.” 

Even  as  he  spoke  people  came  from  the  house  of  the 
leader  of  the  synagogue  and  said, 

“Your  daughter  is  dead.  Why  should  you  trouble  the 
Master  any  further  ?” 

But  Jesus  paid  no  attention  to  what  they  said,  but  said 
to  the  leader  of  the  synagogue, 

“Do  not  be  afraid,  just  have  faith.” 

5:21-36 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


75 


He  let  no  one  go  with  him  but  Peter,  James,  and  James’s 
brother  John.  They  came  to  the  house  of  the  leader  of  the 
synagogue,  and  there  he  found  everything  in  confusion,  and 
people  weeping  and  wailing.  And  he  went  into  the  house 
and  said  to  them, 

“What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  confusion  and  crying  ? 
The  child  is  not  dead,  she  is  asleep.”  And  they  laughed  at 
him.  But  he  drove  them  all  out,  and  took  the  child’s  father 
and  mother  and  the  men  who  were  with  him  and  went  into  the 
room  where  the  child  was  lying.  And  he  grasped  her  hand 
and  said  to  her, 

“Taleitha,  koum!” — that  is  to  say,  “Little  girl,  I  tell  you, 
get  up!” 

And  the  little  girl  immediately  got  up  and  walked  about, 
for  she  was  twelve  years  old.  The  moment  they  saw  it  they 
were  utterly  amazed.  And  he  strictly  forbade  them  to  let 
anyone  know  of  it,  and  told  them  to  give  her  something  to  eat. 

Leaving  there  he  went,  followed  by  his  disciples,  to  his 
own  part  of  the  country.  When  the  Sabbath  came  he  began 
to  teach  in  the  synagogue.  And  the  people  were  astonished 
when  they  heard  him,  and  said, 

“Where  did  he  get  all  this  ?  How  does  he  come  to  have 
such  wisdom  ?  How  are  such  marvelous  things  done  through 
him  ?  Is  he  not  the  carpenter,  Mary’s  son,  and  the  brother 
of  James,  Joses,  Judas,  and  Simon  ?  And  do  not  his  sisters 
live  here  among  us  ?” 

And  they  took  offense  at  him.  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“A  prophet  is  treated  with  honor  everywhere  except  in 
his  native  place  and  among  his  relatives  and  at  his  home.” 

He  could  not  do  any  wonder  there,  except  that  he  put  his 
hands  on  a  few  sick  people  and  cured  them.  And  he  wondered 
at  their  want  of  faith. 

Then  he  went  around  among  the  villages  teaching.  And 
he  called  the  Twelve  to  him  and  sent  them  off  two  by 
two,  giving  them  power  over  the  foul  spirits.  He  forbade 
them  to  take  anything  for  the  journey  except  a  staff — no 
bread,  no  bag,  no  small  change  even  in  their  girdles;  they 
were  to  go  in  sandals,  and  not  to  wear  two  shirts.  And  he 
said  to  them, 


5:37-6:10 


76 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Whenever  you  go  to  stay  at  a  house,  remain  in  it  till  you 
leave  that  place.  If  any  place  refuses  to  receive  you  or  to 
listen  to  you,  when  you  leave  it  shake  off  the  very  dust  from 
the  soles  of  your  feet  as  a  warning  to  them.” 

So  they  went  out  and  preached  that  men  should  repent, 
and  drove  out  many  demons,  and  cured  many  sick  people  by 
anointing  them  with  oil. 

King  Herod  heard  of  him,  for  his  name  was  now  well 
known,  and  people  were  saying  that  John  the  baptizer  had 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  that  that  was  why  he  was  endowed 
with  these  extraordinary  powers.  But  others  said  he  was 
Elijah,  and  still  others  that  he  was  a  prophet  of  the  old 
prophetic  kind.  But  when  Herod  heard  of  him  he  said, 

“John,  whom  I  beheaded,  has  risen  from  the  dead.” 

For  it  was  Herod  who  had  sent  and  seized  John  and  bound 
him  and  put  him  in  prison,  on  account  of  Herodias,  his  brother 
Philip’s  wife,  because  Herod  had  married  her.  John  said 
to  Herod, 

“  It  is  not  rightforyouto  be  living  with  your  brother’s  wife.” 

Herodias  felt  bitterly  toward  him  and  wanted  him  killed. 
But  she  could  not  bring  it  about,  for  Herod  stood  in  awe  of 
John,  knowing  that  he  was  an  upright  and  holy  man,  and 
he  protected  him.  And  when  he  heard  him  talk  he  was  very 
much  disturbed,  and  yet  he  liked  to  hear  him.  When  a 
holiday  came  and  Herod  on  his  birthday  gave  a  banquet 
to  his  courtiers  and  officers  and  to  the  leading  men  of  Galilee, 
Herodias’  own  daughter  came  in  and  danced  for  them.  And 
Herod  and  his  guests  were  delighted,  and  the  king  said  to  the 

girl, 

“Ask  me  for  anything  you  like  and  I  will  give  it  to  you.” 

And  he  made  oath  to  her, 

“  I  will  give  you  whatever  you  ask  me  for,  up  to  half  my 
kingdom.” 

When  she  had  left  the  room  she  said  to  her  mother, 

“What  shall  I  ask  him  for  ?” 

But  she  said, 

“The  head  of  John  the  baptizer.” 

And  she  hurried  back  at  once  to  the  king  and  asked  him 
for  it,  saying, 

6:11-25 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


77 


“I  want  you  right  away  to  give  me  John  the  Baptist’s 
head  on  a  platter.” 

The  king  was  exceedingly  sorry,  but  on  account  of  his 
oath  and  his  guests  he  did  not  like  to  break  his  word  to  her, 
and  he  immediately  sent  one  of  his  guard  with  orders  to  get 
John’s  head.  And  he  went  off  and  beheaded  him  in  the 
prison  and  brought  back  his  head  on  a  platter  and  gave  it  to 
the  girl,  and  the  girl  gave  it  to  her  mother.  When  his 
disciples  heard  of  it  they  came  and  took  his  body  away  and 
put  it  in  a  tomb. 

The  apostles  rejoined  Jesus  and  reported  to  him  all  they 
had  done  and  taught.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Come  away  by  yourselves  to  some  quiet  place,  and 
rest  a  little  while.” 

For  people  were  coming  and  going  in  large  numbers, 
and  they  had  no  time  even  for  meals.  So  they  set  off  by 
themselves  in  their  boat  for  a  secluded  place.  And  many 
people  saw  them  start  and  knew  of  it,  and  hurried  around 
by  land  from  all  the  neighboring  towns,  and  got  ahead  of  them. 
So  when  he  got  out  of  the  boat,  he  found  a  great  crowd 
gathered,  and  his  heart  was  touched  at  the  sight  of  them, 
because  they  were  like  sheep  that  have  no  shepherd;  and  he 
proceeded  to  teach  them  a  great  deal.  When  it  grew  late  his 
disciples  came  up  to  him  and  said, 

“This  is  a  lonely  place  and  it  is  getting  late.  Send  the 
people  off  to  the  farms  and  villages  around  to  buy  themselves 
something  to  eat.” 

But  he  answered, 

“Give  them  food  yourselves.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Can  we  go  and  buy  forty  dollars’  worth  of  bread  and 
give  it  to  them  to  eat  ?” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“How  many  loaves  have  you  ?  Go  and  see.” 

They  looked,  and  told  him, 

“Five,  and  two  fish.” 

And  he  directed  them  all  to  sit  down  in  parties  on  the 
fresh  grass.  And  they  threw  themselves  down  in  groups, 
in  hundreds  and  in  fifties.  Then  he  took  the  five  loaves  and 

6:26-41 


78 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  two  fish  and  looked  up  to  heaven  and  blessed  the  loaves 
and  broke  them  in  pieces  and  gave  them  to  the  disciples  to  pass 
to  the  people;  and  he  divided  the  two  fish  among  them  all. 
And  they  all  ate  and  had  enough.  And  the  pieces  they 
gathered  up  filled  twelve  baskets,  besides  the  pieces  of  the 
fish.  There  were  five  thousand  men  who  ate  the  loaves. 

He  immediately  had  his  disciples  get  into  the  boat  and 
cross  before  him  to  the  other  side  toward  Bethsaida,  while 
he  was  dismissing  the  crowd.  When  he  had  taken  leave  of 
the  people  he  went  up  the  hill  to  pray.  When  evening  came 
on,  the  boat  was  in  the  middle  of  the  sea,  and  he  was 
alone  on  shore.  And  he  saw  that  they  were  straining  at  the 
oars,  for  the  wind  was  against  them,  and  toward  morning  he 
went  out  to  them,  v/alking  on  the  sea,  and  was  going  to  join 
them.  They  saw  him  walking  on  the  sea,  and  thought  it  was 
a  ghost  and  screamed  aloud,  for  they  all  saw  him  and  were 
terrified.  But  he  immediately  spoke  to  them  and  said, 

“Take  courage,  it  is  I.  Do  not  be  afraid.” 

Then  he  went  up  to  them  and  got  into  the  boat.  And 
the  wind  fell.  And  they  were  perfectly  beside  themselves, 
for  they  had  not  understood  about  the  loaves,  but  their 
minds  were  blinded. 

They  crossed  over  to  the  other  side  and  came  to 
Gennesaret  and  moored  the  boat.  As  soon  as  they  came 
ashore,  the  people  recognized  Jesus,  and  they  hurried  all 
over  the  countryside  and  began  to  bring  the  sick  to  him  on 
their  mats,  wherever  they  heard  he  was.  And  whatever 
village  or  town  or  farm  he  went  to,  they  would  lay  their  sick 
in  the  market-place  and  beg  him  to  let  them  touch  just  the 
tassel  of  his  cloak,  and  all  who  touched  it  were  cured. 

The  Pharisees  gathered  about  him  with  some  scribes  who.1 
had  come  from  Jerusalem.  They  had  noticed  that  some  of 
his  disciples  ate  their  food  without  first  giving  their  hands  a 
ceremonial  washing  to  purify  them.  For  the  Pharisees  and 
all  the  Jews  observe  the  rules  handed  down  from  their 
ancestors,  and  will  not  eat  until  they  have  washed  their 
hands  in  a  particular  way,  and  they  will  not  eat  anything 
from  the  market  without  first  purifying  it  by  sprinkling  it, 
and  they  have  a  number  of  other  observances  which  have 

6:42-7:4 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


79 


come  down  to  them,  in  the  way  of  washing  cups,  pitchers, 
and  basins.  And  the  Pharisees  and  the  scribes  asked  him, 

“  Why  do  your  disciples  not  observe  the  rules  handed  down 
by  our  ancestors,  but  eat  their  food  without  purifying  their 
hands  ?” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“It  was  about  you  hypocrites  that  Isaiah  prophesied  so 
finely,  in  the  words, 

“‘This  people  honor  me  with  their  lips, 

Yet  their  hearts  are  far  away  from  me. 

But  their  worship  of  me  is  all  in  vain, 

For  the  lessons  they  teach  are  but  human  precepts.’ 

“You  give  up  what  God  has  commanded  and  hold  fast 
to  what  men  have  handed  down. 

“How  skilful  you  are,”  he  said  to  them,  “in  nullifying 
what  God  has  commanded  in  order  to  observe  what  has  been 
handed  down  to  you.  For  Moses  said,  ‘Honor  your  father 
and  your  mother,’  and  again,  ‘Whoever  abuses  his  father  or 
mother  must  be  put  to  death.’  But  you  say,  ‘If  a  man  says 
to  his  father  or  mother,  “Anything  of  mine  that  might  have 
been  of  use  to  you  is  Korban,”’  that  is,  consecrated  to  God, 
you  let  him  off  from  doing  anything  more  for  his  father  or 
mother,  and  so  you  nullify  what  God  has  said  by  what  you 
have  handed  down.  You  have  many  such  practices.” 

He  called  the  people  to  him  again  and  said  to  them, 

“Listen  to  me,  all  of  you,  and  understand  this.  Nothing 
that  goes  into  a  man  from  outside  can  pollute  him.  It  is  what 
comes  out  of  a  man  that  pollutes  him.” 

When  he  had  left  the  crowd  and  gone  home,  his  disciples 
asked  him  what  he  meant  by  this  figure.  And  he  said  to 
them, 

“Have  not  even  you  any  understanding  then  ?  Do  you 
not  see  that  nothing  that  goes  into  a  man  from  outside  can 
pollute  him,  since  it  does  not  go  into  his  heart  but  into  his 
stomach  and  then  is  disposed  of?”  So  he  declared  all  food 
clean.  He  went  on  to  say, 

“It  is  what  comes  out  of  a  man  that  pollutes  him.  For 
it  is  from  inside,  from  men’s  hearts,  that  designs  of  evil  come; 
immorality,  stealing,  murder,  adultery,  greed,  malice,  deceit, 

7:5-22 


8o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


indecency,  envy,  abusiveness,  arrogance,  folly — all  these  evils 
come  from  inside,  and  they  pollute  a  man.” 

He  left  that  place  and  went  to  the  neighborhood  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon.  And  he  went  into  a  certain  house,  and  wanted 
no  one  to  know  of  it.  And  he  could  not  keep  it  secret,  but  a 
woman  whose  little  daughter  was  possessed  by  a  foul  spirit 
immediately  heard  about  him  and  came  and  threw  herself 
at  his  feet.  Now  the  woman  was  a  Greek,  of  Syrophoenician 
birth.  And  she  begged  him  to  drive  the  demon  out  of  her 
daughter.  He  said  to  her, 

“Let  the  children  first  eat  all  they  want,  for  it  is  not  right 
to  take  the  children’s  bread  and  throw  it  to  the  dogs.” 

But  she  answered, 

“True,  sir!  and  still  the  dogs  under  the  table  eat  what 
the  children  leave!” 

He  said  to  her, 

“If  you  can  say  that,  go  home;  the  demon  has  left  your 
daughter.” 

And  she  went  home  and  found  the  child  lying  on  the  bed, 
and  the  demon  gone. 

He  left  the  neighborhood  of  Tyre  again  and  went  by  way 
of  Sidon  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  crossing  the  district  of  the 
Ten  Towns.  And  they  brought  to  him  a  man  who  was  deaf 
and  hardly  able  to  speak,  and  they  begged  him  to  lay  his 
hand  on  him.  He  took  him  off  by  himself  away  from  the 
crowd,  and  put  his  fingers  in  the  man’s  ears,  and  touched 
his  tongue  with  saliva.  And  he  looked  up  to  heaven  and 
sighed,  and  said  to  him, 

“Ephphatha!” — which  means  “Open.” 

And  his  ears  were  opened  and  his  tongue  was  released 
and  he  talked  plainly.  And  Jesus  forbade  them  to  tell 
anyone  about  it,  but  the  more  he  forbade  them  the  more 
they  spread  the  news  far  and  wide.  And  people  were  utterly 
amazed,  and  said, 

“How  well  he  has  done  everything!  He  even  makes  the 
deaf  hear  and  the  dumb  speak!” 

In  those  days  when  a  great  crowd  had  gathered  again  and 
they  had  nothing  to  eat,  he  called  his  disciples  to  him  and 
said  to  them, 

7:23-8:1 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


81 


“I  pity  these  people,  for  they  have  been  staying  with  me 
three  days  now,  and  they  have  nothing  left  to  eat.  And  if 
I  send  them  home  hungry  they  will  give  out  on  the  way,  for 
some  of  them  come  from  a  distance.” 

His  disciples  replied, 

“Where  can  anyone  get  bread  enough,  here  in  this 
solitude,  to  satisfy  these  people’s  hunger  ?” 

“How  many  loaves  have  you  ?”  he  asked. 

“Seven,”  they  said. 

Then  he  ordered  the  people  to  take  their  places  on  the 
ground.  And  he  took  the  seven  loaves  and  gave  thanks  and 
broke  them  in  pieces  and  gave  them  to  his  disciples  to  pass, 
and  they  passed  them  to  the  people.  They  had  a  few  small 
fish,  and  he  blessed  them  and  told  the  disciples  to  pass  them 
also  to  the  people.  And  they  ate  and  satisfied  their  hunger. 
And  the  pieces  that  they  left,  that  were  picked  up,  filled  seven 
baskets.  There  were  about  four  thousand  of  the  people.  And 
he  dismissed  them.  Then  he  immediately  got  into  the  boat 
with  his  disciples  and  went  to  the  district  of  Dalmanutha. 

The  Pharisees  came  out  and  began  a  discussion  with 
him,  testing  him  by  asking  him  to  show  them  a  sign  from 
heaven.  And  he  sighed  deeply  and  said, 

“Why  do  the  men  of  this  day  ask  for  a  sign  ?  I  tell  you, 
no  sign  will  be  given  them.” 

And  he  left  them  and  got  into  the  boat  again  and  crossed 
to  the  other  side. 

Now  they  had  forgotten  to  bring  any  bread,  and  they 
had  only  one  loaf  with  them  in  the  boat.  And  he  warned 
them,  saying, 

“Look  out!  Be  on  your  guard  against  the  yeast  of  the 
Pharisees  and  the  yeast  of  Herod!” 

They  were  discussing  with  one  another  their  being  without 
bread.  And  he  noticed  it  and  said  to  them, 

“Why  do  you  discuss  your  being  without  bread  ?  Do 
you  not  yet  see  nor  understand  ?  Are  your  minds  so  dull  ? 
When  you  have  eyes  can  you  not  see,  and  when  you  have  ears 
can  you  not  hear  ?  Do  you  not  remember  how  many  baskets 
of  pieces  you  picked  up  when  I  broke  the  five  loaves  in 
pieces  for  those  five  thousand  men  ?” 


8:2-19 


82 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


They  said  to  him, 

“Twelve.” 

“When  I  broke  the  seven  loaves  in  pieces  for  the  four 
thousand,  how  many  baskets  of  pieces  did  you  pick  up  ?” 
They  said  to  him, 

“Seven.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Do  you  not  understand  yet  ?” 

And  they  came  to  Bethsaida.  And  people  brought  a  blind 
man  to  him  and  begged  him  to  touch  him.  He  took  him  by 
the  hand  and  led  him  outside  of  the  village,  and  spitting 
in  his  eyes  he  laid  his  hands  on  him  and  asked  him, 

“  Do  you  see  anything  ?” 

He  looked  up  and  said, 

“  I  can  see  the  people,  for  they  look  to  me  like  trees,  only 
they  are  moving  about.” 

Then  he  laid  his  hands  on  his  eyes  again,  and  he  looked 
steadily  and  was  cured,  and  saw  everything  plainly.  And 
he  sent  him  home  and  said  to  him, 

“Do  not  even  go  into  the  village.” 

Then  Jesus  and  his  disciples  went  away  to  the  villages 
around  Caesarea  Philippi.  On  the  way  he  questioned  his 
disciples  and  said  to  them, 

“Who  do  people  say  that  I  am  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“John  the  Baptist;  others  say  Elijah,  and  others  that 
you  are  one  of  the  prophets.” 

And  he  asked  them, 

“But  who  do  you  say  that  I  am  ?” 

Peter  answered  and  said  to  him, 

“You  are  the  Christ.” 

And  he  warned  them  not  to  say  this  about  him  to  anyone. 
Then  he  explained  to  them  for  the  first  time  that  the 
Son  of  Man  must  go  through  much  suffering,  and  be  refused 
by  the  elders  and  the  high  priests  and  the  scribes,  and  be 
killed,  and  rise  again  three  days  after.  He  told  them  this 
plainly.  And  Peter  took  him  aside,  and  began  to  reprove 
him  for  it.  But  turning  and  seeing  his  disciples  he  reproved 
Peter,  and  said, 

8:20-33 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  83 


“Get  out  of  my  sight,  you  Satan!  for  you  do  not  side 
with  God,  but  with  men.” 

And  he  called  the  people  and  his  disciples  to  him  and 
said  to  them, 

“If  anyone  wants  to  go  with  me,  he  must  disregard 
himself,  and  take  his  cross  and  follow  me.  For  whoever 
wants  to  preserve  his  own  life  will  lose  it,  and  whoever  loses 
his  life  for  me  and  for  the  good  news  will  preserve  it.  For 
what  good  does  it  do  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world  and  yet 
part  with  his  life  ?  For  what  can  a  man  give  to  buy  back  his 
life  ?  For  if  anyone  is  ashamed  of  me  and  my  teaching  in 
this  unfaithful  and  sinful  age,  then  the  Son  of  Man  will  be 
ashamed  of  him,  when  he  comes  back  in  his  Father’s  glory, 
with  the  holy  angels.”  And  he  said  to  them,  “I  tell  you, 
some  of  you  who  stand  here  will  certainly  live  to  see  the 
reign  of  God  come  in  its  might.” 

Six  days  after  this  Jesus  took  Peter,  James,  and  John 
with  him,  and  led  them  up  on  a  high  mountain,  off  by  them¬ 
selves.  And  his  appearance  underwent  a  change  in  their 
presence,  and  his  clothes  shone  whiter  than  any  earthly 
bleaching  could  make  them.  And  Elijah  appeared  to  them, 
accompanied  by  Moses,  and  they  talked  with  Jesus.  Then 
Peter  spoke,  and  said  to  Jesus, 

“Master,  how  good  it  is  that  we  are  here!  Let  us  put  up 
three  huts,  one  for  you  and  one  for  Moses  and  one  for  Elijah.” 
For  he  did  not  know  what  to  say,  they  were  so  frightened. 
And  a  cloud  came  and  overshadowed  them,  and  from  the 
cloud  came  a  voice, 

“This  is  my  Son,  my  Beloved.  Listen  to  him.” 

And  suddenly,  on  looking  around,  they  saw  that  there  was 
now  no  one  with  them  but  Jesus  alone.  As  they  were  going 
down  the  mountain,  he  cautioned  them  to  let  no  one  know 
what  they  had  seen,  until  the  Son  of  Man  should  rise  from 
the  dead.  And  they  did  not  forget  what  he  said,  but  discussed 
with  one  another  what  he  meant  by  the  rising  from  the 
dead.  And  they  asked  him, 

“Why  do  the  scribes  say  that  Elijah  has  to  come 
first  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

8:34-9:12 


84 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Elijah  does  come  first,  and  reforms  everything,  and  does 
not  the  Scripture  say  of  the  Son  of  Man  that  he  will  suffer 
much  and  be  refused  ?  Why,  I  tell  you,  not  only  has  Elijah 
come,  but  people  have  treated  him  just  as  they  pleased, 
as  the  Scripture  says  about  him.” 

When  they  came  to  the  disciples,  they  saw  a  great  crowd 
around  them,  and  some  scribes  arguing  with  them.  And  all 
the  people  were  amazed  when  they  saw  him,  and  they  ran  up 
to  him  and  greeted  him.  And  he  asked  them, 

“What  are  you  discussing  with  them  ?” 

One  of  the  crowd  answered, 

“Master,  I  brought  my  son  to  you,  for  he  is  possessed  by 
a  dumb  spirit,  and  wherever  it  seizes  him  it  convulses  him, 
and  he  foams  at  the  mouth  and  grinds  his  teeth;  and  he  is 
wasting  away.  I  told  your  disciples  to  drive  it  out,  and  they 
could  not  do  it.” 

He  answered  them  and  said, 

“O  you  unbelieving  people,  how  long  must  I  be  with 
you  ?  How  long  must  I  put  up  with  you?  Bring  him  here 
to  me!” 

And  they  brought  the  boy  to  him.  As  soon  as  the  spirit 
saw  him,  it  convulsed  the  boy,  and  he  fell  down  on  the 
ground  and  rolled  about,  foaming  at  the  mouth.  Jesus  asked 
the  boy’s  father, 

“How  long  has  he  been  like  this  ?” 

And  he  said, 

“From  his  childhood,  and  many  a  time  it  has  thrown 
him  into  the  fire  or  into  the  water,  to  put  an  end  to  him. 
But  if  there  is  anything  you  can  do,  take  pity  on  us  and 
help  us!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“‘If  there  is  anything  I  can  do!’  Everything  is  possible 
for  one  who  has  faith!” 

The  boy’s  father  immediately  cried  out, 

“I  have  faith!  Help  my  want  of  faith!” 

Then  Jesus,  seeing  that  a  crowd  was  rapidly  gathering, 
reproved  the  foul  spirit  and  said  to  it, 

“You  deaf  and  dumb  spiric,  get  out  of  him,  I  charge  you, 
and  never  enter  him  again!” 

9:13-25 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  85 


And  it  gave  a  cry  and  convulsed  him  terribly,  and  went 
out  of  him.  And  the  boy  was  like  a  corpse,  so  that  most  of 
them  said  that  he  was  dead.  But  Jesus  grasped  his  hand 
and  made  him  rise,  and  he  stood  up.  When  he  had  gone 
home,  and  his  disciples  were  alone  with  him,  they  asked  him, 

“Why  could  not  we  drive  it  out  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“This  kind  of  thing  can  only  be  driven  out  by  prayer.” 

And  they  left  that  place  and  made  their  way  through 
Galilee,  and  he  did  not  wish  anyone  to  know  it;  for  he  was 
teaching  his  disciples,  saying  to  them, 

“The  Son  of  Man  is  to  be  handed  over  to  men,  and  they 
will  kill  him,  and  three  days  after  he  is  killed  he  will  rise 
again.” 

But  they  did  not  understand  what  he  meant,  and  they 
were  afraid  to  ask  him  about  it. 

And  they  reached  Capernaum.  When  he  reached  home, 
he  asked  them, 

“What  was  it  that  you  were  discussing  on  the  way  ?” 

But  they  made  no  answer,  for  on  the  way  they  had  been 
discussing  with  one  another  which  of  them  was  the  greatest. 
And  he  sat  down  and  called  the  Twelve  in,  and  said  to  them, 

“If  anyone  wishes  to  be  first,  he  must  be  the  last  of  all 
and  the  servant  of  all.” 

And  he  took  a  child  and  made  him  stand  among  them, 
and  he  put  his  arms  around  him,  and  said  to  them, 

“Whoever  welcomes  one  child  like  this  on  my  account  is 
welcoming  me,  and  whoever  welcomes  me,  welcomes  not  me 
but  him  who  has  sent  me.” 

John  said  to  him, 

“Master,  we  saw  a  man  driving  out  demons  with  your 
name,  and  we  told  him  not  to  do  so,  for  he  was  not  one  of 
our  followers.” 

But  Jesus  said, 

“  Do  not  tell  him  not  to  do  so,  for  there  is  no  one  who 
will  use  my  name  to  do  a  mighty  act,  and  be  able  soon  after 
to  abuse  me.  For  the  man  who  is  not  against  us  is  for  us. 
For  whoever  gives  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink,  on  the  ground 
that  you  belong  to  Christ,  I  tell  you,  will  certainly  not  fail  to 

9:26—41 


86 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


be  repaid.  And  whoever  causes  one  of  these  humble  believers 
to  fall  might  better  have  a  great  millstone  hung  around 
his  neck  and  be  thrown  into  the  sea.  If  your  hand  makes 
you  fall,  cut  it  off.  You  might  better  enter  upon  life  maimed, 
than  go  with  both  your  hands  to  the  pit,  into  the  fire  that 
cannot  be  put  out.  And  if  your  foot  makes  you  fall,  cut  it 
off.  You  might  better  enter  upon  life  crippled,  than  be 
thrown  with  both  your  feet  into  the  pit.  And  if  your  eye 
makes  you  fall,  tear  it  out.  You  might  better  get  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God  with  only  one  eye  than  be  thrown  with 
both  your  eyes  into  the  pit,  where  the  worm  that  feeds  upon 
them  never  dies  and  the  fire  is  never  put  out.  Everyone 
must  be  seasoned  with  fire.  Salt  is  a  good  thing,  but  if 
salt  loses  its  strength,  what  will  you  use  to  season  it  ?  You 
must  have  salt  within  you,  and  live  in  peace  with  one 
another.” 

And  he  left  that  place  and  went  into  the  district  of  Judea 
and  crossed  the  Jordan,  and  crowds  of  people  again  gathered 
about  him,  and  again  he  taught  them  as  he  was  accustomed 
to  do.  Some  Pharisees  came  up,  and  in  order  to  test  him 
asked  him  whether  a  man  should  be  allowed  to  divorce  his 
wife.  But  he  answered, 

“What  has  Moses  commanded  you  to  do  ?” 

They  said, 

“Moses  permits  a  man  to  divorce  his  wife  by  drawing 
up  a  written  divorce-notice.” 

But  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“It  was  on  account  of  your  perversity  that  he  laid  down 
that  law  for  you.  But  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation, 
‘God  made  them  male  and  female.  Therefore  a  man  must 
leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  he  and  his  wife  must  become 
one,’  and  so  they  are  no  longer  two  but  one.  Therefore  what 
God  has  joined  together  man  must  not  try  to  separate.” 

When  they  reached  the  house  the  disciples  asked  him 
about  this  again.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Anyone  who  divorces  his  wife  and  marries  another 
woman  commits  adultery  against  his  former  wife,  and  if  a 
woman  divorces  her  husband  and  marries  another  man,  she 
is  an  adulteress.” 

9:42—10: 12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  87 


And  people  brought  children  to  him  to  have  him  touch 
them,  but  the  disciples  reproved  them  for  it.  When  Jesus 
saw  it,  he  was  indignant,  and  said  to  them, 

“Let  the  children  come  to  me;  do  not  try  to  stop  them, 
for  the  Kingdom  of  God  belongs  to  such  as  they.  I  tell  you, 
whoever  does  not  accept  the  Kingdom  of  God  like  a  child 
shall  not  enter  it  at  all.” 

And  he  took  the  children  in  his  arms  and  laid  his  hands 
on  them  and  blessed  them. 

As  he  was  starting  again  on  his  journey,  a  man  came 
running  up  to  him,  and  knelt  at  his  feet  and  asked  him, 

“Good  master,  what  must  I  do  to  make  sure  of  eternal 
life  ?” 

But  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Why  do  you  call  me  good  ?  No  one  is  good  but  God 
himself.  You  know  the  commandments — ‘Do  not  murder, 
Do  not  commit  adultery,  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false 
witness,  Do  not  defraud,  Honor  your  father  and  mother.’  ” 

But  he  said  to  him, 

“Master,  I  have  obeyed  all  these  commandments  ever 
since  I  was  a  child.” 

And  Jesus  looked  at  him  and  loved  him,  and  he  said  to 
him, 

“There  is  one  thing  that  you  lack.  Go,  sell  all  you  have, 
and  give  the  money  to  the  poor,  and  then  you  will  have  riches 
in  heaven;  and  come  back  and  be  a  follower  of  mine.” 

But  his  face  fell  at  Jesus’  words,  and  he  went  away 
much  cast  down,  for  he  had  a  great  deal  of  property. 

And  Jesus  looked  around  and  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Plow  hard  it  will  be  for  those  who  have  money  to  enter 
the  Kingdom  of  God!” 

But  the  disciples  were  amazed  at  what  he  said.  And 
Jesus  said  to  them  again, 

“My  children,  how  hard  it  is  to  enter  the  Kingdom  of 
God!  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  get  through  the  eye  of  a 
needle  than  for  a  rich  man  to  get  into  the  Kingdom  of  God!” 

They  were  perfectly  astounded  and  said  to  him, 

“Then  who  can  be  saved  ?” 

Jesus  looked  at  them  and  said, 

10: 13-27 


88 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


‘'For  men  it  is  impossible,  but  not  for  God,  for  anything 
is  possible  for  God.” 

Peter  started  to  say  to  him, 

“Well,  we  have  left  all  we  had,  and  have  followed  you.” 

Jesus  said, 

“I  tell  you,  there  is  no  one  who  has  given  up  home  or 
brothers  or  sisters  or  mother  or  father  or  children  or  land  for 
me  and  for  the  good  news,  but  will  receive  now  in  this  life  a 
hundred  times  as  much  in  homes,  brothers,  sisters,  mothers, 
children,  and  lands,  though  not  without  persecution — and  in 
the  coming  age  eternal  life.  But  many  who  are  first  now 
will  be  last  then,  and  the  last  will  be  first.” 

As  they  went  on  their  way  up  to  Jerusalem,  Jesus  walked 
ahead  of  them,  and  they  were  in  dismay,  and  those  who  still 
followed  were  afraid.  And  he  took  the  Twelve  aside  again 
and  began  to  tell  them  what  was  going  to  happen  to  him. 

“See!”  he  said,  “We  are  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  the 
Son  of  Man  will  be  handed  over  to  the  high  priests  and 
scribes,  and  they  will  condemn  him  to  death  and  hand  him 
over  to  the  heathen  and  they  will  ridicule  him  and  spit  on 
him  and  flog  him  and  kill  him;  and  three  days  after  he  will 
rise  again.” 

And  Zebedee’s  two  sons,  James  and  John,  came  up  to  him 
and  said, 

“Master,  we  want  you  to  do  for  us  whatever  we  ask.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“What  do  you  want  me  to  do  for  you  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Let  us  sit  one  at  your  right  hand  and  one  at  your  left, 
in  your  triumph.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“You  do  not  know  what  you  are  asking  for.  Can  you 
drink  what  I  am  drinking,  or  undergo  the  baptism  that  I  am 
undergoing  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Yes,  we  can.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Then  you  shall  drink  what  I  am  drinking,  and  you 
shall  undergo  the  baptism  that  I  am  undergoing;  but  as  for 

10:28-40 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  89 


sitting  at  my  right  or  at  my  left,  that  is  not  mine  to  give, 
but  belongs  to  those  for  whom  it  is  destined.” 

When  the  other  ten  heard  of  this  they  were  at  first  very 
indignant  at  James  and  John.  And  Jesus  called  them  to  him, 
and  said  to  them, 

“You  know  that  those  who  are  supposed  to  rule  the 
heathen  lord  it  over  them,  and  their  great  men  tyrannize 
over  them;  but  it  is  not  to  be  so  among  you.  Whoever  wants 
to  be  great  among  you  must  be  your  servant,  and  whoever 
wants  to  hold  the  first  place  among  you  must  be  everybody’s 
slave.  For  the  Son  of  Man  himself  has  not  come  to  be 
waited  on,  but  to  wait  on  other  people,  and  to  give  his  life 
to  free  many  others.” 

And  they  came  to  Jericho.  As  he  was  leaving  the  town  with 
his  disciples  and  a  great  crowd,  Timaeus’  son  Bartimaeus, 
a  blind  beggar,  was  sitting  at  the  roadside.  When  he  heard 
that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth  he  began  to  cry  out, 

“Jesus,  you  son  of  David,  take  pity  on  me!” 

Many  of  the  people  rebuked  him  and  told  him  to  be  still. 
But  he  cried  out  all  the  louder, 

“You  son  of  David,  take  pity  on  me!” 

Jesus  stopped  and  said, 

“  Call  him  here.” 

And  they  called  the  blind  man  and  said  to  him, 
“Courage  now!  Get  up,  he  is  calling  you!” 

And  he  threw  off  his  coat  and  sprang  to  his  feet  and 
went  up  to  Jesus.  Jesus  spoke  to  him  and  said, 

“What  do  you  want  me  to  do  for  you  ?” 

The  blind  man  said  to  him, 

“Master,  let  me  regain  my  sight!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Go  your  way.  Your  faith  has  cured  you.” 

And  he  immediately  regained  his  sight  and  followed 
Jesus  along  the  road. 

)  When  they  were  getting  near  Jerusalem,  and  had  come 
to  Bethphage  and  Bethany  near  the  Mount  of  Olives,  Jesus 
sent  two  of  his  disciples  on  ahead,  and  said  to  them, 

“Go  to  the  village  that  lies  in  front  of  you,  and  as  soon 
as  you  enter  it  you  will  find  tied  there  a  colt  that  has  never 

10:41-11:2 


9° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


been  ridden.  Untie  it  and  bring  it  here.  And  if  anybody 
says  to  you,  ‘Why  are  you  doing  that?’  say,  ‘The  Master 
needs  it,  and  will  send  it  back  here  directly.’  ” 

And  they  set  off  and  found  a  colt  tied  in  the  street  at  the 
door  of  a  house,  and  they  untied  it.  Some  of  the  bystanders 
said  to  them, 

“What  are  you  doing,  untying  the  colt  ?” 

But  they  answered  them  as  Jesus  had  told  them  to  do, 
and  the  men  let  them  take  it.  So  they  brought  the  colt  to 
Jesus,  and  they  threw  their  coats  over  it  and  Jesus  mounted 
it.  And  many  of  the  people  spread  their  coats  in  the  road, 
and  others  cut  straw  from  the  fields  and  scattered  it  in  his 
path.  And  those  in  front  and  those  behind  shouted, 

“  God  bless  him ! 

Blessed  be  he  who  comes  in  the  Lord’s  name! 

Blessed  be  the  reign  of  our  father  David  which  is  coming! 

God  bless  him  from  on  high!” 

And  he  came  into  Jerusalem  and  into  the  Temple,  and 
looked  it  all  over;  then,  as  it  was  already  late,  he  went  out 
with  the  Twelve  to  Bethany. 

On  the  next  day,  after  they  had  left  Bethany,  he  felt 
hungry.  And  he  saw  in  the  distance  a  fig  tree  covered  with 
leaves,  and  he  went  up  to  it  to  see  if  he  could  find  any  figs 
on  it.  When  he  reached  it  he  found  nothing  but  leaves,  for 
it  was  not  the  time  for  figs.  And  he  spoke  to  the  tree  and 
said  to  it, 

“ May  no  one  ever  eat  fruit  from  you  any  more!” 

And  his  disciples  heard  it. 

When  they  reached  Jerusalem,  he  went  into  the  Temple, 
and  began  to  drive  out  of  it  those  who  were  buying  or  selling 
things  in  it,  and  he  upset  the  money-changers’  tables  and  the 
pigeon-dealers’  seats,  and  he  would  not  allow  anyone  to 
carry  anything  through  the  Temple.  And  he  taught  them, 
and  said, 

“Does  not  the  Scripture  say,  ‘My  house  shall  be  called 
a  house  of  prayer  for  all  the  nations  ’  ?  But  you  have  made 
it  a  robbers’  cave.” 

The  high  priests  and  the  scribes  heard  of  this,  and  they 
cast  about  for  a  way  of  destroying  him,  for  they  were  afraid 

11:3-18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


91 


of  him,  for  all  the  people  were  amazed  at  what  he  taught. 
So  when  evening  came,  he  and  his  disciples  used  to  go  out  of 
the  city. 

In  the  morning  as  they  were  passing  along,  they  saw 
that  the  fig  tree  was  withered,  to  its  very  roots.  And 
Peter  remembered  about  it  and  said  to  him, 

“Look,  Master!  The  fig  tree  that  you  cursed  is  withered 

up! 

Jesus  answered  and  said  to  them, 

“Have  faith  in  God!  I  tell  you,  whoever  says  to  this 
mountain,  ‘Get  up  and  throw  yourself  into  the  sea!’  and  has 
no  doubt  in  his  mind,  but  has  faith  that  what  he  says  will 
happen,  shall  have  it.  Therefore  I  tell  you,  whenever  you 
pray  or  ask  for  anything,  have  faith  that  it  has  been  granted 
you,  and  you  shall  have  it.  And  whenever  you  stand  up  to 
pray,  if  you  have  a  grievance  against  anyone,  forgive  him,  so 
that  your  Father  in  heaven  too  may  forgive  you  your  offenses.” 

Then  they  went  into  Jerusalem  again.  And  as  Jesus 
was  walking  about  in  the  Temple,  the  high  priests,  scribes, 
and  elders  came  up  and  said  to  him, 

“What  authority  have  you  for  doing  as  you  do?  And 
who  gave  you  a  right  to  do  as  you  are  doing  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Let  me  ask  you  one  question,  and  if  you  answer  me, 
I  will  tell  you  what  authority  I  have  for  doing  as  I  do.  Was 
John’s  baptism  from  heaven  or  from  men  ?  Answer  me.” 

And  they  argued  with  one  another, 

“ If  we  say,  ‘It  was  from  heaven,’  he  will  say,  ‘Then  why 
did  you  not  believe  him  ?’  Yet  can  we  say,  ‘It  was  from 
men’  ?”  For  they  were  afraid  of  the  people,  because  all  the 
people  thought  John  was  really  a  prophet.  So  they  answered 
Jesus, 

“We  do  not  know.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Nor  will  I  tell  you  what  authority  I  have  for  doing 
as  I  do.” 

Then  he  began  to  speak  to  them  in  figures. 

“A  man  once  planted  a  vineyard  and  fenced  it  in  and 
hewed  out  a  wine-vat  and  built  a  watch  tower,  and  he  leased 

11:19-12:1 


92 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


it  to  tenants  and  left  the  neighborhood.  At  the  proper 
time  he  sent  a  slave  to  the  tenants  to  get  from  them  a  share 
of  the  vintage.  And  they  took  him  and  beat  him  and  sent 
him  back  empty-handed.  And  again  he  sent  another  slave 
to  them.  And  they  beat  him  over  the  head  and  treated  him 
shamefully.  And  he  sent  another;  and  him  they  killed;  and  so 
with  many  others,  some  they  beat  and  some  they  killed.  He 
still  had  one  left  to  send,  a  dearly  loved  son.  He  sent  him 
to  them  last  of  all,  thinking,  ‘They  will  respect  my  son.’ 
But  the  tenants  said  to  one  another,  ‘This  is  his  heir! 
Come  on,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  property  will  belong  to 
us!’  So  they  took  him  and  killed  him,  and  threw  his  body 
outside  of  the  vineyard.  What  will  the  owner  of  the  vineyard 
do  ?  He  will  come  back  and  put  the  tenants  to  death  and 
give  the  vineyard  to  others.  Did  you  never  read  this  passage 
of  Scripture: 

“‘That  stone  which  the  builders  rejected 
Has  become  the  cornerstone; 

This  came  from  the  Lord 
And  seems  marvelous  to  us’  ?” 

And  they  tried  to  have  him  arrested,  but  they  were 
afraid  of  the  people,  for  they  knew  that  the  illustration  was 
aimed  at  them.  And  they  left  him  and  went  away. 

They  sent  some  Pharisees  and  Herodians  to  him  to 
entrap  him  in  argument.  And  they  came  up  and  said  to 
him, 

“Master,  we  know  that  you  tell  the  truth  regardless  of  the 
consequences,  for  you  are  not  guided  by  personal  considera¬ 
tions,  but  teach  the  way  of  God  with  sincerity.  Is  it  right 
to  pay  the  poll  tax  to  the  emperor  or  not  ?  Should  we  pay  it, 
or  refuse  to  pay  it  ?” 

But  he  saw  through  their  pretense,  and  said  to  them, 

“  Why  do  you  put  me  to  such  a  test  ?  Bring  me  a  denarius 
to  look  at.” 

And  they  brought  him  one.  He  said  to  them, 

“Whose  head  and  title  is  this  ?” 

And  they  told  him, 

“The  emperor’s.” 

And  Jesus  said, 

12:2-17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


93 


“Pay  the  emperor  what  belongs  to  the  emperor,  and  pay 
God  what  belongs  to  God!” 

And  they  were  astonished  at  him. 

Some  of  the  Sadducees,  who  say  there  is  no  resurrection, 
came  to  him  and  asked  him  a  question. 

“Master,”  they  said,  “Moses  made  us  a  law  that  if  a 
man’s  brother  died,  leaving  a  wife  but  no  child,  the  man 
should  marry  the  widow  and  raise  up  a  family  for  his  brother. 
There  were  once  seven  brothers.  And  the  eldest  married 
a  wife  and  died,  leaving  no  child.  And  the  second  married 
her,  and  died  without  leaving  any  child,  and  so  did  the  third. 
And  none  of  the  seven  left  any  child.  Finally,  the  woman 
died  too.  At  the  resurrection,  which  one’s  wife  will  she 
be  ?  For  all  seven  of  them  married  her.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Does  not  this  show  that  you  are  wrong,  and  do  not 
understand  either  the  Scriptures  or  the  power  of  God  ? 
For  when  people  rise  from  the  dead,  there  is  no  marrying  or 
being  married,  but  they  live  as  angels  do  in  heaven.  But  as 
to  the  dead  being  raised,  have  you  never  read  in  the  Book 
of  Moses,  in  the  passage  about  the  bush,  how  God  said  to 
him,  ‘I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob’  ?  He  is  not  God  of  dead  men  but  of  living! 
You  are  entirely  wrong.” 

One  of  the  scribes  came  up  and  heard  them  arguing. 
He  saw  that  Jesus  had  answered  them  well,  and  he  asked 
him, 

“Which  is  the  first  of  all  the  commands  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“The  first  one  is,  ‘Hear,  Israel!  The  Lord  our  God  is 
one  lord,  and  you  must  love  the  Lord  your  God  with  your 
whole  heart,  your  whole  soul,  your  whole  mind,  and  your 
whole  strength.’  And  this  is  the  second:  ‘You  must  love 
your  neighbor  as  you  do  yourself.’  No  other  command  is 
greater  than  these.” 

The  scribe  said  to  him, 

“Really,  Master,  you  have  finely  said  that  he  stands 
alone,  and  there  is  none  but  he,  and  to  love  him  with  one’s 
whole  heart,  one’s  whole  understanding,  and  one’s  whole 

12:18-33 


94 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


strength,  and  to  love  one’s  neighbor  as  one’s  self  is  far  more 
than  all  these  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices.” 

And  Jesus  saw  that  he  answered  thoughtfully,  and  he  said 
to  him, 

“You  are  not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  God!” 

And  no  one  ventured  to  ask  him  any  more  questions. 

As  Jesus  was  teaching  in  the  Temple,  he  answered  them 
and  said, 

“How  can  the  scribes  say  that  the  Christ  is  a  son  of 
David  ?  David  himself,  under  the  influence  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  said, 

“  ‘The  Lord  has  said  to  my  lord.  “Sit  at  my  right  hand 
Until  I  put  your  enemies  under  your  feet.”  ’ 

David  himself  calls  him  lord,  and  how  can  he  be  his 
son  r 

The  mass  of  the  people  liked  to  hear  him.  And  in  the 
course  of  his  teaching  he  said  to  them, 

“  Beware  of  the  scribes  who  like  to  go  about  in  long  robes 
and  to  be  saluted  with  respect  in  public  places,  and  to  have 
the  front  seats  in  the  synagogues  and  the  best  places  at 
dinners — men  that  eat  up  widows’  houses  and  to  cover  it 
up  make  long  prayers!  They  will  get  a  far  heavier  sen¬ 
tence!” 

And  he  sat  down  facing  the  treasury  and  watched  the 
people  dropping  money  into  it;  and  many  rich  people  were 
putting  in  large  sums.  A  poor  widow  came  up  and  dropped 
in  two  little  copper  coins  which  make  a  cent.  And  he 
called  his  disciples  to  him  and  said, 

“  I  tell  you  that  this  poor  widow  has  put  in  more  than 
all  these  others  who  have  been  putting  money  into  the 
treasury.  For  they  all  gave  of  what  they  had  to  spare,  but 
she  in  her  want  has  put  in  everything  she  possessed — all  she 
had  to  live  on.” 

As  he  was  leaving  the  Temple,  one  of  his  disciples  said 
to  him, 

“Look,  Master!  What  wonderful  stones  and  buildings!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“  Do  you  see  these  great  buildings  ?  Not  one  stone  shall 
be  left  here  upon  another  that  shall  not  be  torn  down.” 

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THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


95 


As  he  was  sitting  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  opposite  the 
Temple,  Peter,  James,  John,  and  Andrew  asked  him,  apart 
from  the  others, 

“Tell  us  when  this  is  to  happen,  and  what  the  sign  will 
be  when  it  is  all  just  going  to  be  carried  out.” 

And  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Take  care  that  no  one  misleads  you  about  this.  Many 
will  come  under  my  name  and  say  ‘I  am  he,’  and  many  will 
be  misled  by  them.  But  when  you  hear  of  wars  and  rumors 
of  war,  you  must  not  be  alarmed.  They  have  to  come,  but 
it  is  not  yet  the  end.  For  nation  will  rise  in  arms  against 
nation  and  kingdom  against  kingdom;  there  will  be  earth¬ 
quakes  here  and  there,  there  will  be  famines.  This  is  only 
the  beginning  of  the  sufferings.  But  you  must  be  on  your 
guard;  they  will  hand  you  over  to  courts  and  you  will 
be  taken  into  synagogues  and  beaten,  and  you  will  be 
brought  before  governors  and  kings  on  my  account,  to 
testify  to  them.  For  before  the  end  the  good  news  must 
be  preached  to  all  the  heathen.  When  they  are  taking  you 
off  to  trial  do  not  worry  beforehand  about  what  you  ought  to 
say,  but  say  whatever  is  given  you  when  the  time  comes, 
for  it  is  not  you  that  will  speak,  but  the  holy  Spirit.  Brother 
will  give  up  brother  to  be  put  to  death,  and  the  father  his 
child,  and  children  will  turn  against  their  parents  and  have 
them  put  to  death.  You  will  be  hated  by  everyone,  because 
you  bear  my  name.  But  he  who  holds  out  to  the  end  will  be 
saved.  But  as  soon  as  you  see  the  dreadful  desecration 
standing  where  he  has  no  right  to  stand”  (the  reader  must  take 
note  of  this),  “then  those  who  are  in  Judea  must  fly  to  the 
hills;  a  man  on  the  roof  of  his  house  must  not  go  down  or 
go  into  the  house  to  get  anything  out  of  it,  and  a  man  in  the 
field  must  not  turn  back  to  get  his  coat.  Alas  for  women 
who  are  with  child  at  that  time,  or  who  have  babies!  Pray 
that  it  may  not  be  winter  when  it  comes,  for  there  will  be 
such  misery  in  those  days  as  there  has  never  been  since  the 
beginning  of  God’s  creation  until  now,  and  never  will  be  again. 
If  the  Lord  had  not  cut  those  days  short,  nobody  would  have 
escaped,  but  for  the  sake  of  his  own  chosen  people  he  has  cut 
the  days  short.  If  anyone  says  to  you  at  that  time,  ‘Look! 

13:3-21 


96 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Here  is  the  Christ!’  or  ‘Look!  There  he  is!’  do  not  believe 
it.  For  false  Christs  and  false  prophets  will  appear,  and 
they  will  show  signs  and  wonders  to  mislead  God’s  chosen 
people  if  they  can.  But  you  must  be  on  your  guard;  I  have 
told  you  all  about  it  beforehand.  But  in  those  days,  when 
that  misery  is  over,  the  sun  will  be  darkened  and  the  moon 
will  not  shed  its  light  and  the  stars  will  fall  from  the  sky  and 
the  forces  in  the  sky  will  shake.  Then  they  will  see  the  Son  of 
Man  coming  on  the  clouds  with  great  power  and  glory,  and 
then  he  will  send  out  the  angels  and  gather  his  chosen  people 
from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other. 

“Let  the  fig  tree  teach  you  the  lesson.  As  soon  as  its 
branches  grow  soft  and  put  forth  leaves  you  know  that 
summer  is  coming.  So  when  you  see  these  things  happening, 
you  must  know  that  he  is  just  at  the  door.  I  tell  you,  these 
things  will  all  happen  before  the  present  age  passes  away. 
Earth  and  sky  will  pass  away,  but  my  words  will  not. 
But  about  that  day  or  hour  no  one  knows,  not  even  the  angels 
in  heaven,  nor  the  Son;  only  the  Father.  You  must  look  out 
and  be  on  the  alert,  for  you  do  not  know  when  it  will  be  time; 
just  as  a  man  when  he  leaves  home  to  go  on  a  journey,  and 
puts  his  slaves  in  charge,  each  with  his  duties,  gives  orders 
to  the  watchman  to  keep  watch.  So  you  must  be  on  the 
watch,  for  you  do  not  know  when  the  master  of  the  house  is 
coming — in  the  evening  or  at  midnight  or  toward  daybreak 
or  early  in  the  morning — for  fear  he  should  come  unexpectedly 
and  find  you  asleep.  And  what  I  am  telling  you  I  mean 
for  all — Be  on  the  watch!” 

It  was  now  two  days  before  the  festival  of  the  Passover 
and  of  Unleavened  Bread.  And  the  high  priests  and  scribes 
were  casting  about  for  a  way  to  arrest  him  by  stealth  and 
put  him  to  death,  for  they  said, 

“It  must  not  be  during  the  festival,  or  there  may  be  a 
riot.” 

Jesus  was  in  Bethany,  at  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper, 
and  as  he  was  at  table,  a  woman  came  in,  with  an  alabaster 
flask  of  pure  nard  perfume,  very  expensive;  she  broke  the  flask 
and  poured  the  perfume  on  his  head.  But  there  were  some 
who  said  indignantly  to  themselves, 

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THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


97 


“What  was  the  use  of  wasting  the  perfume  like  that  ?  It 
might  have  been  sold  for  more  than  sixty  dollars,  and  the 
money  have  been  given  to  the  poor.” 

And  they  grumbled  at  her.  But  Jesus  said, 

“Leave  her  alone.  Why  do  you  bother  her  ?  It  is  a  fine 
thing  that  she  has  done  to  me.  For  you  always  have  the 
poor  among  you,  and  whenever  you  please  you  can  do  for 
them,  but  you  will  not  always  have  me.  She  has  done  all 
she  could;  she  has  perfumed  my  body  in  preparation  for  my 
burial.  I  tell  you,  wherever  the  good  news  is  preached  all 
over  the  world,  what  she  has  done  will  also  be  told,  in  memory 
of  her.” 

Then  Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  the  Twelve,  went  to  the 
high  priests  to  betray  Jesus  to  them.  They  were  delighted 
to  hear  it  and  promised  to  pay  him  for  it.  So  he  was  watching 
for  an  opportunity  to  betray  him  to  them. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  festival  of  Unleavened  Bread,  on 
which  it  was  customary  to  kill  the  Passover  lamb,  Jesus’ 
disciples  said  to  him, 

“Where  do  you  wish  us  to  go  and  make  the  preparations 
for  you  to  eat  the  Passover  supper  ?” 

So  he  sent  away  two  of  his  disciples,  saying  to  them, 

“Go  into  the  city,  and  you  will  meet  a  man  carrying  a 
pitcher  of  water.  Follow  him,  and  whatever  house  he  goes 
into,  say  to  the  man  of  the  house,  ‘The  Master  says,  “Where 
is  my  room  where  I  can  eat  the  Passover  supper  with  my 
disciples?”’  And  he  will  show  you  a  large  room  upstairs, 
furnished  and  ready.  Make  your  preparations  for  us 
there.” 

So  the  disciples  started  and  went  into  the  city,  and  found 
everything  just  as  he  had  told  them;  and  they  prepared 
the  Passover  supper. 

When  it  was  evening  he  came  with  the  Twelve.  And 
when  they  were  at  the  table  eating,  Jesus  said, 

“I  tell  you,  one  of  you  is  going  to  betray  me — one  who 
is  eating  with  me.” 

And  they  were  hurt,  and  said  to  him  one  after  another, 

“Can  it  be  I?” 

He  said  to  them, 


*4: 5-I9 


98 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“It  is  one  of  the  Twelve,  who  is  dipping  his  bread  in 
the  same  dish  with  me.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  indeed  to  go 
away  as  the  Scriptures  say  of  him,  but  alas  for  the  man  by 
whom  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed!  It  would  have  been 
better  for  that  man  if  he  had  never  been  born.” 

As  they  were  eating,  he  took  a  loaf  and  blessed  it,  and 
he  broke  it  in  pieces  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying, 

“Take  this.  It  is  my  body.” 

And  he  took  the  wine  cup  and  gave  thanks  and  gave  it  to 
them  and  they  all  drank  from  it.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“This  is  my  blood  which  ratifies  the  agreement,  and  is  to 
be  poured  out  for  many  people.  I  tell  you,  I  will  never 
drink  the  product  of  the  vine  again  till  the  day  when  I  shall 
drink  the  new  wine  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.” 

After  singing  the  hymn  they  went  out  of  the  city  and  up 
the  Mount  of  Olives.  And  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“You  will  all  desert  me,  for  the  Scriptures  say,  T  will 
strike  the  shepherd,  and  the  sheep  will  be  scattered.’  But  after 
I  am  raised  to  life  again  I  will  go  back  to  Galilee  before  you.” 

But  Peter  said  to  him, 

“Even  if  they  all  desert  you,  I  will  not!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“I  tell  you,  this  very  night  before  the  cock  crows  twice 
you  yourself  will  disown  me  three  times!” 

But  he  persisted  vehemently, 

“If  I  have  to  die  with  you,  I  will  never  disown  you.” 

And  they  all  said  the  same  thing. 

They  came  to  a  place  called  Gethsemane,  and  he  said 
to  his  disciples, 

“Sit  down  here  while  I  pray.” 

And  he  took  Peter,  James,  and  John  along  with  him,  and 
he  began  to  feel  distress  and  dread,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“My  heart  is  almost  breaking.  You  must  stay  here  and 
keep  watch.”  And  he  went  on  a  little  way  and  threw  himself 
on  the  ground  and  prayed  that  if  it  were  possible  he  might 
be  spared  the  hour  of  trial;  and  he  said, 

“Abba!”  that  is,  Father,  “Anything  is  possible  for  you! 
Take  this  cup  awa y  from  me!  Yet  not  what  I  please  but 
what  you  do!” 

14: 20-36 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


99 


When  he  went  back  he  found  them  asleep,  and  he  said  to 
Peter, 

“  Simon,  are  you  asleep  ?  Were  you  not  able  to  watch  for 
one  hour  ?  You  must  all  watch  and  pray  that  you  may  not 
be  subjected  to  trial.  One’s  spirit  is  eager,  but  human  nature 
is  weak.” 

He  went  away  again  and  prayed  in  the  same  words  as 
before.  When  he  came  back  he  found  them  asleep  again, 
for  they  could  hardly  keep  their  eyes  open;  and  they  did  not 
know  what  answer  to  make  to  him.  When  he  came  back  for 
the  third  time,  he  said  to  them, 

“Are  you  still  sleeping  and  taking  your  rest  ?  Enough 
of  this!  The  time  has  come.  See!  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed 
into  the  hands  of  wicked  men.  Get  up,  let  us  be  going. 
Look!  here  comes  my  betrayer!” 

Just  at  that  moment,  while  he  was  still  speaking,  Judas, 
who  was  one  of  the  Twelve,  came  up,  and  with  him  a  crowd  of 
men  with  swords  and  clubs,  from  the  high  priests,  scribes,  and 
elders.  Now  the  man  who  betrayed  him  had  given  them  a 
signal,  saying, 

“The  one  I  kiss  is  the  man.  Seize  him  and  take  him 
safely  away.” 

So  when  he  came  he  went  straight  up  to  Jesus  and  said, 
“Master!”  and  kissed  him  affectionately. 

And  they  laid  hands  on  him  and  seized  him.  But  one  of 
the  bystanders  drew  his  sword  and  struck  at  the  high  priest’s 
slave  and  cut  his  ear  off.  And  Jesus  spoke  and  said  to  them, 

“Have  you  come  out  to  arrest  me  with  swords  and  clubs, 
as  though  I  were  a  robber  ?  I  have  been  among  you  day  after 
day  in  the  Temple  teaching,  and  you  never  seized  me.  But 
let  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled!” 

Then  all  the  disciples  left  him  and  made  their  escape. 
And  a  young  man  followed  him  with  nothing  but  a  linen  cloth 
about  his  body;  and  they  seized  him,  but  he  left  the  cloth 
behind  and  ran  away  naked. 

They  took  Jesus  away  to  the  high  priest,  and  all  the  high 
priests,  elders,  and  scribes  came  together.  And  Peter 
followed  him  at  a  distance,  right  into  the  courtyard  of  the  high 
priest  and  sat  down  with  the  attendants  and  warmed  himself 


14:37-54 


IOO 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


at  the  fire.  The  high  priests  and  the  whole  council  tried 
to  get  evidence  against  Jesus  in  order  to  put  him  to  death, 
and  they  could  find  none,  for  while  many  gave  false 
testimony  against  him  their  evidence  did  not  agree.  Some  got 
up  and  gave  false  testimony  against  him  to  this  effect: 

“We  ourselves  have  heard  him  say,  ‘I  will  tear  down  this 
sanctuary  built  by  men’s  hands,  and  in  three  days  I  will  build 
another,  made  without  hands.’  ” 

And  even  then  their  evidence  did  not  agree.  Then  the 
high  priest  got  up  and  came  forward  into  the  center  and 
asked  Jesus, 

“Have  you  no  answer  to  make?  What  about  their 
evidence  against  you  ?” 

But  Jesus  was  silent  and  made  no  answer.  The  high 
priest  again  questioned  him  and  said  to  him, 

“Are  you  the  Christ,  the  son  of  the  Blessed  One  ?” 

But  Jesus  said, 

“I  am!  and  you  will  all  see  the  Son  of  Man  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Almighty  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  the 
sky!” 

Then  the  high  priest  tore  his  clothing,  and  said, 

“What  do  we  want  of  witnesses  now  ?  Did  you  hear 
his  blasphemy  ?  What  is  your  decision  ?” 

And  they  all  condemned  him  as  deserving  to  be  put  to 
death.  And  some  started  to  spit  at  him  and  to  blindfold 
him  and  strike  him,  and  say  to  him, 

“  Now  show  that  you  are  a  prophet !” 

And  the  attendants  slapped  him  as  they  took  charge  of  him. 

While  Peter  was  down  in  the  courtyard,  one  of  the  high 
priest’s  maids  came  up,  and  seeing  Peter  warming  himself, 
she  looked  at  him  and  said, 

“You  were  with  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  too!” 

But  he  denied  it,  saying, 

“I  do  not  know  or  understand  what  you  mean.” 

He  went  out  into  the  gateway.  And  the  maid  saw  him 
there  and  began  again  to  tell  the  bystanders, 

“This  fellow  is  one  of  them!” 

But  he  denied  it  again.  And  again  a  little  while  after, 
the  bystanders  said  to  Peter, 

14:55-70 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  ioi 


“You  certainly  are  one  of  them,  for  you  are  a  Gali¬ 
lean  !” 

But  he  began  to  swear  with  the  strongest  oaths, 

“I  do  not  know  this  man  that  you  are  talking  about !” 

At  that  moment  for  the  second  time  a  cock  crowed.  And 
Peter  remembered  how  Jesus  had  said  to  him,  “Before  the 
cock  crows  twice,  you  will  disown  me  three  times!”  And  at 
that,  he  wept  aloud. 

As  soon  as  it  was  daylight,  the  high  priests  held  a  consulta¬ 
tion  with  the  elders  and  scribes,  and  they  and  the  whole 
council  bound  Jesus  and  took  him  away  and  handed  him 
over  to  Pilate.  Pilate  asked  him, 

“Are  you  the  king  of  the  Jews  ?” 

He  answered, 

“Yes.” 

And  the  high  priests  kept  heaping  accusations  upon  him. 
But  Pilate  again  asked  him, 

“Have  you  no  answer  to  make  ?  See  what  charges  they 
are  making  against  you.” 

But  Jesus  made  no  further  answer  at  all,  so  that  Pilate 
wondered.  Now  at  festival  time  he  used  to  set  free  for  them 
one  prisoner,  whom  they  petitioned  for.  There  was  in  prison 
a  man  called  Barabbas,  among  some  revolutionaries  who  in 
their  outbreak  had  committed  murder.  And  a  crowd  of 
people  came  up  and  started  to  ask  him  for  the  usual  favor. 
Pilate  asked  them, 

“Do  you  want  me  to  set  the  king  of  the  Jews  free  for 

V) 

you  r 

For  he  knew  that  the  high  priests  had  handed  him  over  to 
him  out  of  envy.  But  the  high  priests  stirred  up  the  crowd 
to  get  him  to  set  Barabbas  free  for  them  instead.  And 
Pilate  again  said  to  them, 

“Then  what  shall  I  do  with  the  man  you  call  the  king 
of  the  Jews  ?” 

They  shouted  back, 

“  Crucify  him !” 

And  Pilate  said  to  them, 

“  Why,  what  has  he  done  that  is  wrong  ?” 

But  they  shouted  all  the  louder, 


14:71-15:14 


102 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“  Crucify  him !” 

And  as  Pilate  wanted  to  satisfy  the  crowd,  he  set  Barabbas 
free  for  them,  and  after  having  Jesus  flogged  handed  him  over 
to  be  crucified. 

Then  the  soldiers  took  him  inside  the  courtyard,  that  is, 
of  the  governor’s  residence,  and  they  called  the  whole  battalion 
together.  And  they  dressed  him  up  in  a  purple  cloak,  and 
made  a  wreath  of  thorns  and  crowned  him  with  it,  and  they 
began  to  acclaim  him, 

“Long  live  the  king  of  the  Jews!” 

And  they  struck  him  on  the  head  with  a  stick  and  spat 
at  him,  and  they  knelt  down  and  did  homage  to  him.  When 
they  had  finished  making  sport  of  him,  they  took  off  the 
purple  cloak  and  put  his  own  clothes  on  him. 

Then  they  took  him  out  of  the  city  to  crucify  him. 
And  they  forced  a  passer-by,  who  was  coming  in  from  the 
country,  to  carry  his  cross — one  Simon,  a  Cyrenian,  the  father 
of  Alexander  and  Rufus.  And  they  took  him  to  the  place 
called  Golgotha,  which  means  the  Place  of  the  Skull.  They 
offered  him  drugged  wine,  but  he  would  not  take  it.  Then 
they  crucified  him,  and  divided  up  his  clothes,  drawing  lots 
for  them  to  see  what  each  of  them  should  have.  It  was  nine 
in  the  morning  when  they  crucified  him.  And  the  notice  of 
the  charge  against  him  read,  “The  king  of  the  Jews.”  They 
crucified  two  robbers  along  with  him,  one  at  his  right  and  one 
at  his  left.  And  the  passers-by  jeered  at  him,  shaking  their 
heads  and  saying, 

“Aha!  you  who  would  tear  down  the  sanctuary  and 
build  one  in  three  days!  Come  down  from  the  cross  and 
save  yourself!” 

The  high  priests  too  made  sport  of  him  to  one  another 
with  the  scribes  and  said, 

“He  saved  others,  but  he  cannot  save  himself!  Let 
this  Christ,  the  king  of  Israel,  come  down  from  the  cross  now, 
so  that  we  may  see  it  and  believe!”  And  the  men  who  were 
crucified  with  him  abused  him. 

At  noon  darkness  spread  over  the  whole  country,  and 
lasted  until  three  in  the  afternoon.  And  at  three  o’clock 
Jesus  called  out  loudly, 

i5-i5“34 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


“Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani  ?”  which  means,  “My  God, 
my  God,  why  have  you  forsaken  me  ?” 

Some  of  the  bystanders,  when  they  heard  it,  said, 

“See!  He  is  calling  for  Elijah!” 

One  man  ran  off  and  soaked  a  sponge  in  common  wine, 
and  put  it  on  the  end  of  a  stick  and  held  it  up  to  him  to 
drink,  saying, 

“Let  us  see  whether  Elijah  does  come  to  take  him  down!” 

But  Jesus  gave  a  loud  cry,  and  expired.  And  the  curtain 
of  the  sanctuary  was  torn  in  two,  from  top  to  bottom.  And 
when  the  captain  who  stood  facing  him  saw  how  he  expired 
he  said, 

“This  man  was  certainly  a  son  of  God!” 

There  were  some  women  also  watching  from  a  distance, 
among  them  Mary  of  Magdala,  Mary  the  mother  of  the 
younger  James  and  of  Joses,  and  Salome,  who  used  to  accom¬ 
pany  him  and  wait  on  him  when  he  was  in  Galilee — besides 
many  other  women  who  had  come  up  to  Jerusalem  with  him. 

Although  it  was  now  evening,  yet  since  it  was  the  Prepara¬ 
tion  Day,  that  is,  the  day  before  the  Sabbath,  Joseph  of 
Arimathea,  a  highly  respected  member  of  the  council,  who 
was  himself  living  in  expectation  of  the  reign  of  God,  made 
bold  to  go  to  Pilate  and  ask  for  Jesus’  body.  Pilate  wondered 
whether  he  was  dead  already,  and  he  sent  for  the  captain  and 
asked  whether  he  was  dead  yet,  and  when  he  learned  from 
the  captain  that  he  was,  he  gave  Joseph  permission  to  take 
the  body.  And  he  bought  a  linen  sheet  and  took  him  down 
from  the  cross  and  wrapped  him  in  the  sheet,  and  laid  him 
in  a  tomb  that  had  been  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  and  rolled 
a  stone  against  the  doorway  of  the  tomb.  And  Mary  of 
Magdala  and  Mary,  Joses’  mother,  were  looking  on  and 
saw  where  he  was  put. 

)  When  the  Sabbath  was  over,  Mary  of  Magdala,  Mary, 
James’s  mother,  and  Salome  bought  spices,  in  order  to  go 
and  anoint  him.  Then  very  early  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  they  went  to  the  tomb,  when  the  sun  had  just  risen. 
And  they  said  to  one  another, 

“Who  will  roll  the  stone  back  from  the  doorway  of  the 
tomb  for  us  ?” 


15:35-16:3 


104 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  they  looked  up  and  saw  that  the  stone  had  been 
rolled  back,  for  it  was  very  large.  And  when  they  went  into 
the  tomb  they  saw  a  young  man  in  a  white  robe  sitting  at  the 
right,  and  they  were  utterly  amazed.  But  he  said  to  them, 
“You  must  not  be  amazed.  You  are  looking  for  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  who  was  crucified.  He  has  risen,  he  is  not  here. 
See!  This  is  where  they  laid  him.  But  go  and  say  to  his 
disciples  and  to  Peter,  ‘He  is  going  before  you  to  Galilee; 
you  will  see  him  there,  just  as  he  told  you.’  ” 

And  they  fled  out  of  the  tomb,  for  they  were  all  trembling 
and  bewildered,  and  they  said  nothing  about  it  to  anyone, 
for  they  were  afraid  to  do  so. 

AN  ANCIENT  APPENDIX 

But  they  reported  briefly  to  Peter  and  his  companions 
all  they  had  been  told.  And  afterward  Jesus  himself  sent  out 
by  them  from  the  east  to  the  west  the  sacred  and  incorruptible 
message  of  eternal  salvation. 

ANOTHER  ANCIENT  APPENDIX 

Now  after  he  had  risen,  early  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
he  appeared  first  to  Mary  of  Magdala,  from  whom  he  had 
driven  out  seven  evil  spirits.  She  went  and  told  it  to  his 
old  companions,  while  they  were  mourning  and  weeping. 
When  they  heard  that  he  was  alive  and  that  she  had  seen  him, 
they  would  not  believe  it.  Afterward  he  showed  himself 
in  a  different  form  to  two  of  them  as  they  were  walking  along, 
on  their  way  into  the  country.  They  went  back  and  told 
the  rest,  but  they  would  not  believe  them.  Still  later  he 
appeared  to  the  Eleven  themselves  when  they  were  at  table, 
and  reproached  them  for  their  obstinacy  and  want  of  faith, 
because  they  had  not  believed  those  who  had  seen  him  after 
he  had  been  raised  from  the  dead.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Go  to  the  whole  world  and  proclaim  the  good  news  to  all 
the  creation.  He  who  believes  it  and  is  baptized  will  be 
saved,  but  he  who  does  not  believe  it  will  be  condemned.  And 
signs  like  these  will  attend  those  who  believe:  with  my  name 
they  will  drive  out  demons;  they  will  .speak  in  foreign 

16:4-17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MARK  105 


tongues;  they  will  take  snakes  in  their  hands,  and  if  they 
drink  poison  it  will  not  hurt  them;  they  will  lay  their  hands 
on  the  sick,  and  they  will  get  well.” 

So  the  Lord  Jesus,  after  he  had  spoken  to  them,  was 
caught  up  into  heaven  and  took  his  seat  at  God’s  right  hand. 
And  they  went  out  and  preached  everywhere,  while  the 
Lord  worked  with  them  and  confirmed  their  message  by  the 
signs  that  attended  it. 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


Many  writers  have  undertaken  to  compose  accounts  of 
the  movement  which  has  developed  among  us,  just  as  the 
original  eye-witnesses  who  became  teachers  of  the  message 
have  handed  it  down  to  us.  For  that  reason,  Theophilus, 
and  because  I  have  investigated  it  all  carefully  from  the  begin¬ 
ning,  I  have  determined  to  write  a  connected  account  of  it 
for  Your  Excellency,  so  that  you  may  be  reliably  informed 
about  the  things  you  have  been  taught. 


In  the  days  when  Herod  was  king  of  Judea,  there  was  a 
priest  named  Zechariah  who  belonged  to  the  division  of 
Abijah.  His  wife  was  also  a  descendant  of  Aaron,  and  her 
name  was  Elizabeth.  They  were  both  upright  in  the  sight 
of  God,  blamelessly  observing  all  the  Lord’s  commands 
and  requirements.  They  had  no  children,  for  Elizabeth  was 
barren;  and  they  were  both  advanced  in  life. 

Once  when  he  was  acting  as  priest  before  God,  when  his 
division  was  on  duty,  it  fell  to  his  lot,  according  to  the  priests’ 
practice,  to  go  into  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  and  burn  the 
incense,  while  all  the  throng  of  people  was  outside,  praying  at 
the  hour  of  the  incense  offering.  And  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  him,  standing  at  the  right  of  the  altar  of  incense. 
When  Zechariah  saw  him  he  was  startled  and  overcome  with 
fear.  And  the  angel  said  to  him, 

“Do  not  be  afraid,  Zechariah,  for  your  prayer  has  been 
heard.  Your  wife  Elizabeth  will  bear  you  a  son,  and  you 
are  to  name  him  John.  This  will  bring  gladness  and  delight 
to  you,  and  many  will  rejoice  over  his  birth.  For  he  will  be 
great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  He  will  drink  no  wine  or  strong 
drink,  but  he  will  be  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit  from  his  very 
birth,  and  he  will  turn  many  of  Israel’s  descendants  to  the 
Lord  their  God.  He  will  go  before  him  with  the  spirit  and  the 
power  of  Elijah,  to  reconcile  fathers  to  their  children,  and  to 

1:1—17  106 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


107 

bring  the  disobedient  back  to  the  wisdom  of  upright  men, 
to  make  a  people  perfectly  ready  for  the  Lord.” 

Zechariah  said  to  the  angel, 

“How  am  I  to  know  that  this  is  so  ?  For  I  am  an  old 
man,  and  my  wife  is  advanced  in  life.” 

The  angel  answered, 

“I  am  Gabriel.  I  stand  in  the  very  presence  of  God. 
I  have  been  sent  to  speak  to  you  and  to  tell  you  this  good 
news.  Now  you  will  keep  silent  and  be  unable  to  speak  until 
the  day  when  this  happens,  because  you  have  not  believed 
what  I  have  said,  for  it  will  all  be  fulfilled  in  due  time.” 

The  people  were  waiting  for  Zechariah,  and  wondering 
that  he  stayed  so  long  in  the  sanctuary.  But  when  he  came 
out  he  could  not  speak  to  them,  and  they  knew  that  he  had 
seen  a  vision  in  the  sanctuary.  For  his  part,  he  kept  making 
signs  to  them,  and  remained  dumb.  And  when  his  period 
of  service  was  over,  he  went  back  to  his  home. 

Soon  afterward  his  wife  Elizabeth  began  to  expect  a 
child,  and  she  kept  herself  in  seclusion  for  five  months. 

“This  is  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  me,”  she  said,  “now 
that  he  has  deigned  to  remove  the  disgrace  I  have  endured.” 

In  the  sixth  month  the  angel  Gabriel  was  sent  by  God 
to  a  town  in  Galilee  called  Nazareth,  to  a  maiden  there  who 
was  engaged  to  be  married  to  a  man  named  Joseph,  a  descend¬ 
ant  of  David.  The  maiden’s  name  was  Mary.  And  the 
angel  went  into  the  town  and  said  to  her, 

“Good  morning,  favored  woman!  The  Lord  be  with 
you! 

But  she  was  startled  at  what  he  said,  and  wondered  what 
this  greeting  meant.  And  the  angel  said  to  her, 

“Do  not  be  afraid,  Mary,  for  you  have  gained  God’s 
approval.  You  are  to  become  a  mother  and  you  will  give 
birth  to  a  son,  and  you  are  to  name  him  Jesus.  He  will  be 
great  and  will  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Most  High.  The  Lord 
God  will  give  him  the  throne  of  his  forefather  David,  and  he 
will  reign  over  Jacob’s  house  forever;  his  reign  will  have  no 
end.” 

Mary  said  to  the  angel, 

“How  can  this  be,  when  I  have  no  husband  ?” 


1:18-34 


io8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


The  angel  answered, 

“The  holy  Spirit  will  come  over  you,  and  the  power  of 
the  Most  High  will  overshadow  you.  For  that  reason  your 
child  will  be  called  holy,  and  the  Son  of  God.  And  your 
relative,  Elizabeth,  although  she  is  old,  is  going  to  give  birth 
to  a  son,  and  this  is  the  sixth  month  with  her  who  was  said 
to  be  barren.  For  nothing  is  ever  impossible  for  God.,, 

And  Mary  said, 

“I  am  the  Lord’s  slave.  Let  it  be  as  you  say.” 

Then  the  angel  left  her. 

In  those  days  Mary  set  out  and  hurried  to  the  hill- 
country,  to  a  town  in  Judah,  and  she  went  to  Zechariah’s 
house  and  greeted  Elizabeth.  When  Elizabeth  heard  Mary’s 
greeting,  the  babe  stirred  within  her.  And  Elizabeth  was 
filled  with  the  holy  Spirit  and  she  gave  a  great  cry,  and 
said, 

“You  are  the  most  favored  of  women, 

And  blessed  is  your  child! 

Who  am  I, 

To  have  the  mother  of  my  Lord  come  to  me  ? 

“For  the  moment  your  greeting  reached  my  ears, 

The  child  stirred  with  joy  within  me! 

Blessed  is  she  who  has  believed, 

For  what  the  Lord  has  promised  her  will  be  fulfilled!” 

And  Mary  said, 

“My  heart  extols  the  Lord, 

My  spirit  exults  in  God  my  Savior. 

For  he  has  noticed  his  slave  in  her  humble  station, 

For  from  this  time  all  the  ages  will  think  me  favored! 

“  For  the  Almighty  has  done  wonders  for  me, 

How  holy  his  name  is! 

He  shows  his  mercy  age  after  age 
To  those  who  fear  him. 

“He  has  done  mighty  deeds  with  his  arm, 

He  has  routed  the  proud-minded, 

1:35-51 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


109 


He  has  dethroned  monarchs  and  exalted  the  poor, 

He  has  satisfied  the  hungry  with  good  things,  and  sent  the 
rich  away  empty-handed. 

“He  has  helped  his  servant  Israel, 

Remembering  his  mercy, 

As  he  promised  our  forefathers 

To  have  mercy  on  Abraham  and  his  descendants  forever!” 

So  Mary  stayed  with  her  about  three  months,  and  then 
returned  home. 

Now  the  time  came  for  Elizabeth’s  child  to  be  born,  and 
she  gave  birth  to  a  son.  Her  neighbors  and  relatives  heard 
of  the  great  mercy  the  Lord  had  shown  her,  and  they  came 
and  congratulated  her.  On  the  eighth  day  they  came  to 
circumcise  the  child,  and  they  were  going  to  name  him 
Zechariah,  after  his  father.  But  his  mother  said, 

“No!  He  is  to  be  named  John.” 

They  said  to  her, 

“There  is  no  one  among  your  relatives  who  bears  that 
name.” 

But  they  made  signs  to  the  child’s  father  and  asked  him 
what  he  wished  to  have  the  child  named.  He  asked  for  a 
writing  tablet,  and  wrote, 

“His  name  is  John.” 

And  they  were  all  amazed.  Then  his  voice  and  the  use 
of  his  tongue  were  immediately  restored,  and  he  blessed  God 
aloud.  And  all  their  neighbors  were  overcome  with  fear,  and 
all  over  the  hill-country  of  Judea  all  these  stories  were  told, 
and  everyone  who  heard  them  kept  them  in  mind,  and  said, 

“What  is  this  child  going  to  be  ?”  For  the  Lord’s  hand 
was  with  him. 

And  his  father  Zechariah  was  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit 
and  he  uttered  a  divine  message,  saying, 

“Blessings  on  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel, 

Because  he  has  turned  his  attention  to  his  people,  and 
brought  about  their  deliverance, 

And  he  has  produced  a  mighty  Savior  for  us 
In  the  house  of  his  servant  David. 


1 : 52-69 


no 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“  By  the  lips  of  his  holy  prophets  he  promised  of  old  to  do 
this — 

To  save  us  from  our  enemies  and  from  the  hands  of  all  who 
hate  us, 

Thus  showing  mercy  to  our  forefathers, 

And  keeping  his  sacred  agreement, 

“And  the  oath  that  he  swore  to  our  forefather  Abraham, 
That  we  should  be  delivered  from  the  hands  of  our  enemies, 
And  should  serve  him  in  holiness  and  uprightness,  unafraid, 
In  his  own  presence  all  our  lives. 

“And  you,  my  child,  will  be  called  a  prophet  of  the  Most  High, 
For  you  will  go  before  the  Lord  to  make  his  way  ready, 
Bringing  his  people  the  knowledge  of  salvation 
Through  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins. 

“Because  the  heart  of  our  God  is  merciful, 

And  so  the  day  will  dawn  upon  us  from  on  high, 

To  shine  on  men  who  sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of 
death, 

And  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  to  peace.” 

And  the  child  grew  up  and  became  strong  in  the  Spirit, 
and  he  lived  in  the  desert  until  the  day  when  he  proclaimed 
himself  to  Israel. 

In  those  days  an  edict  was  issued  by  the  Emperor 
Augustus  that  a  census  of  the  whole  world  should  be  taken. 
It  was  the  first  census,  taken  when  Quirinius  was  governor 
of  Syria.  So  everyone  went  to  his  own  town  to  register. 
And  Joseph  went  up  from  Galilee  from  the  town  of  Nazareth 
to  Judea  to  the  city  of  David  called  Bethlehem,  because  he 
belonged  to  the  house  and  family  of  David,  to  register  with 
Mary,  who  was  engaged  to  him  and  who  was  soon  to  become 
a  mother.  While  they  were  there,  the  time  came  for  her 
child  to  be  born,  and  she  gave  birth  to  her  first-born  son; 
and  she  wrapped  him  up,  and  laid  him  in  a  manger,  for  there 
was  no  room  for  them  at  the  inn. 

There  were  some  shepherds  in  that  neighborhood  keeping 
watch  through  the  night  over  their  flock  in  the  open  fields. 

i : 70-2 : 8 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


1 1 1 


And  an  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  by  them,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shone  around  them,  and  they  were  terribly  frightened. 
The  angel  said  to  them, 

“Do  not  be  frightened,  for  I  bring  you  good  news  of  a 
great  joy  that  is  to  be  felt  by  all  the  people,  for  today,  in  the 
town  of  David,  a  Savior  for  you  has  been  born  who  is  your 
Messiah  and  Lord.  And  this  will  prove  it  to  you:  You  will 
find  a  baby  wrapped  up  and  lying  in  a  manger.” 

Suddenly  there  appeared  with  the  angel  a  throng  of  the 
heavenly  army,  praising  God,  saying, 

“Glory  to  God  in  heaven  and  on  earth! 

Peace  to  the  men  he  favors!” 

When  the  angels  left  them  and  returned  to  heaven,  the 
shepherds  said  to  one  another, 

“Come!  Let  us  go  over  to  Bethlehem,  and  see  this  thing 
that  has  happened,  that  the  Lord  has  told  us  of!” 

And  they  hurried  there,  and  found  Mary  and  Joseph, 
with  the  baby  lying  in  the  manger.  When  they  saw  this,  they 
told  what  had  been  said  to  them  about  this  child.  And  all 
who  heard  it  were  amazed  at  what  the  shepherds  told  them, 
but  Mary  treasured  up  all  they  had  said,  and  pondered  over 
it.  And  the  shepherds  went  back  glorifying  God  and  praising 
him  for  all  that  they  had  heard  and  seen  in  fulfilment  of  what 
they  had  been  told. 

When  he  was  eight  days  old  and  it  was  time  to  circumcise 
him,  he  was  named  Jesus,  as  the  angel  had  named  him,  before 
his  birth  was  first  expected. 

When  their  purification  period  under  the  Law  of  Moses 
was  over,  they  took  him  up  to  Jerusalem  to  present  him  to 
the  Lord,  in  fulfilment  of  the  requirement  of  the  Law  of  the 
Lord,  “Every  first-born  male  shall  be  considered  consecrated 
to  the  Lord,”  and  to  offer  the  sacrifice  prescribed  in  the  Law 
of  the  Lord,  “A  pair  of  turtle-doves  or  two  young  pigeons.” 

Now  there  was  a  man  in  Jerusalem  named  Symeon,  an 
upright,  devout  man,  who  was  living  in  expectation  of  the 
comforting  of  Israel,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  holy 
Spirit.  It  had  been  revealed  to  him  by  the  holy  Spirit  that  he 
should  not  die  without  seeing  the  Lord’s  Messiah.  And 
under  the  Spirit’s  influence  he  went  into  the  Temple,  and 

2:9-27 


1 1 2 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


when  Jesus’  parents  brought  him  there  to  do  for  him  what 
the  Law  required,  Symeon  also  took  him  in  his  arms  and 
blessed  God,  and  said, 

“Now,  Master,  you  will  let  your  slave  go  free 
In  peace,  as  you  promised, 

For  my  eyes  have  seen  your  salvation 
Which  you  have  set  before  all  the  nations, 

A  light  of  revelation  for  the  heathen. 

And  a  glory  to  your  people  Israel!” 

The  child’s  father  and  mother  were  astonished  at  what 
Symeon  said.  And  he  gave  them  his  blessing,  and  said  to 
Mary,  the  child’s  mother, 

“This  child  is  destined  to  cause  the  fall  and  rise  of  many 
in  Israel,  and  to  be  a  portent  that  will  be  much  debated 
— you  yourself  will  be  pierced  to  the  heart — and  so  the 
thoughts  of  many  minds  will  be  revealed.” 

There  was  also  a  prophetess  there  named  Hannah,  the 
daughter  of  Phanuel,  who  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Asher. 
She  was  very  old,  for  after  her  girlhood  she  had  been  married 
for  seven  years,  and  she  had  been  a  widow  until  she  was  now 
eighty-four.  She  never  left  the  Temple,  but  worshiped  night 
and  day  with  fasting  and  prayer.  She  came  up  just  at  that 
time  and  gave  thanks  to  God  and  spoke  about  the  child  to  all 
who  were  living  in  expectation  of  the  liberation  of  Jerusalem. 

When  they  had  done  everything  that  the  Law  of  the 
Lord  required,  they  returned  to  Galilee,  to  their  own  town  of 
Nazareth. 

And  the  child  grew  up  and  became  strong  and  thoughtful, 
with  God’s  blessing  resting  on  him. 

His  parents  used  to  go  to  Jerusalem  every  year  at 
the  Passover  Festival.  And  when  he  was  twelve  years  old, 
they  went  up  as  usual  to  the  festival  and  made  their  customary 
stay.  When  they  started  back  the  boy  Jesus  stayed  behind 
in  Jerusalem  without  his  parents’  knowledge.  They  supposed 
that  he  was  somewhere  in  the  party,  and  traveled  until  the 
end  of  the  first  day’s  journey,  and  then  they  looked  every¬ 
where  for  him  among  their  relatives  and  acquaintances.  As 
they  could  not  find  him,  they  went  back  to  Jerusalem  in 
search  of  him.  And  on  the  third  day  they  found  him  in  the 

2:28-46 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


”3 

Temple,  sitting  among  the  teachers,  listening  to  them  and 
asking  them  questions,  and  everyone  who  heard  him  was 
astonished  at  his  intelligence  and  at  the  answers  he  made. 
When  his  parents  saw  him  they  were  amazed,  and  his  mother 
said  to  him, 

“My  child,  why  did  you  treat  us  like  this  ?  Here  your 
father  and  I  have  been  looking  for  you,  and  have  been  very 
anxious.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“How  did  you  come  to  look  for  me?  Did  you  not 
know  that  I  must  be  at  my  Father’s  house  ?” 

But  they  did  not  understand  what  he  told  them. 
And  he  went  back  with  them  to  Nazareth  and  obeyed  them. 
And  his  mother  treasured  all  these  things  up  in  her  mind. 

As  Jesus  grew  older  he  gained  in  wisdom  and  won  the 
approval  of  God  and  men. 

In  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius, 
when  Pontius  Pilate  was  governor  of  Judea,  and  Herod 
governor  of  Galilee,  while  his  brother  Philip  was  governor  of 
the  territory  of  Iturea  and  Trachonitis,  and  Lysanias  was 
governor  of  Abilene,  in  the  high  priesthood  of  Annas  and 
Caiaphas,  a  message  from  God  came  to  Zechariah’s  son  John 
in  the  desert.  And  he  went  all  through  the  Jordan  Valley 
preaching  repentance  and  baptism  in  order  to  obtain  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  as  the  book  of  the  sermons  of  the  prophet 
Isaiah  says, 

“Hark!  Someone  is  shouting  in  the  desert 
Get  the  Lord’s  way  ready! 

Make  his  paths  straight. 

Every  hollow  must  be  filled  up, 

And  every  mountain  and  hill  leveled. 

What  is  crooked  is  to  be  made  straight, 

And  the  rough  roads  are  to  be  made  smooth, 

And  all  mankind  is  to  see  how  God  can  save!” 

So  he  would  say  to  the  crowds  that  came  out  there  to  be 
baptized  by  him, 

“You  brood  of  snakes!  Who  warned  you  to  fly  from  the 
wrath  that  is  coming  ?  Then  produce  fruit  that  will  be 

2:47-3:8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


114 

consistent  with  your  professed  repentance!  And  do  not  begin 
to  say  to  yourselves,  ‘We  have  Abraham  for  our  forefather,’ 
for  I  tell  you,  God  can  produce  descendants  for  Abraham 
right  out  of  these  stones!  But  the  axe  is  already  lying  at 
the  roots  of  the  trees.  Any  tree  that  fails  to  produce  good 
fruit  is  going  to  be  cut  down  and  thrown  into  the  fire.” 

The  crowds  would  ask  him, 

“Then  what  ought  we  to  do  ?” 

And  he  answered, 

“The  man  who  has  two  shirts  must  share  with  the  man 
who  has  none,  and  the  man  who  has  food  must  do  the  same.” 

Even  tax-collectors  came  to  be  baptized,  and  they  said 
to  him, 

“Master,  what  ought  we  to  do  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Do  not  collect  any  more  than  you  are  authorized  to.” 

And  soldiers  would  ask  him, 

“And  what  ought  we  to  do  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Do  not  extort  money  or  make  false  charges  against 
people,  but  be  satisfied  with  your  pay.” 

As  all  this  aroused  people’s  expectations,  and  they  were 
all  wondering  in  their  hearts  whether  John  was  the  Christ, 
John  said  to  them  all, 

“I  am  only  baptizing  you  in  water,  but  someone  is 
coming  who  is  stronger  than  I  am,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  fit 
to  untie.  He  will  baptize  you  in  the  holy  Spirit  and  in  fire. 
He  has  his  winnowing  fork  in  his  hand,  to  clean  up  his 
threshing-floor,  and  store  his  wheat  in  his  barn,  but  he  will 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  inextinguishable  fire.” 

So  with  many  varied  exhortations  he  would  preach  the 
good  news  to  the  people,  but  Herod  the  governor,  whom  he 
condemned  because  of  Herodias,  his  brother’s  wife,  and  all  the 
wicked  things  Herod  had  done,  crowned  them  all  by  putting 
John  in  prison. 

Now  when  all  the  people  were  baptized  and  when  Jesus 
also  after  his  baptism  was  praying,  heaven  opened  and  the 
holy  Spirit  came  down  upon  him  in  the  material  shape  of  a 
dove,  and  there  came  a  voice  from  heaven, 


3:9-22 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


IT5 

“You  are  my  Son,  my  Beloved!  You  are  my  Chosen!” 

Jesus  himself  was  about  thirty  years  old  when  he  began 
his  work.  He  was  the  son,  it  was  supposed,  of  Joseph,  the 
son  of  Eli,  the  son  of  Matthat,  the  son  of  Levi,  the  son  of 
Melchi,  the  son  of  Jannai,  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  son  of 
Mattathias,  the  son  of  Amos,  the  son  of  Nahum,  the  son  of 
Esli,  the  son  of  Naggai,  the  son  of  Maath,  the  son  of  Matta¬ 
thias,  the  son  of  Semein,  the  son  of  Josech,  the  son  of  Joda, 
the  son  of  Johanan,  the  son  of  Resa,  the  son  of  Zerubbabel, 
the  son  of  Salathiel,  the  son  of  Neri,  the  son  of  Melchi,  the 
son  of  Addi,  the  son  of  Cosam,  the  son  of  Elmadam,  the  son 
of  Er,  the  son  of  Jesus,  the  son  of  Eliezer,  the  son  of  Jorim, 
the  son  of  Matthat,  the  son  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Symeon,  the 
son  of  Judah,  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  son  of  Jonam,  the  son  of 
Eliakim,  the  son  of  Melea,  the  son  of  Menna,  the  son  of 
Mattatha,  the  son  of  Nathan,  the  son  of  David,  the  son  of 
Jesse,  the  son  of  Obed,  the  son  of  Boaz,  the  son  of  Sala,  the  son 
of  Nahshon,  the  son  of  Admin,  the  son  of  Arni,  the  son  of 
Hezron,  the  son  of  Perez,  the  son  of  Judah,  the  son  of  Jacob, 
the  son  of  Isaac,  the  son  of  Abraham,  the  son  of  Terah,  the  son 
of  Nahor,  the  son  of  Serug,  the  son  of  Ragau,  the  son  of  Peleg, 
the  son  of  Heber,  the  son  of  Shelah,  the  son  of  Cainan,  the 
son  of  Arphaxad,  the  son  of  Shem,  the  son  of  Noah,  the  son  of 
Lamech,  the  son  of  Methuselah,  the  son  of  Enoch,  the  son  of 
Jared,  the  son  of  Maleleel,  the  son  of  Cainan,  the  son  of  Enosh, 
the  son  of  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam,  the  son  of  God. 

Jesus  returned  from  the  Jordan  full  of  the  holy  Spirit,  and 
he  was  led  about  in  the  desert  for  forty  days  by  the  Spirit, 
and  was  tempted  by  the  devil.  In  all  those  days  he  ate 
nothing,  and  when  they  were  over  he  was  famished.  And 
the  devil  said  to  him, 

“If  you  are  God’s  son,  tell  this  stone  to  turn  into  bread!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  The  Scripture  says,  ‘  Not  on  bread  alone  is  man  to  live !’  ” 

And  he  took  him  up  and  showed  him  in  an  instant  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world.  And  the  devil  said  to  him, 

“I  will  give  you  all  this  power  and  their  splendor,  for 
it  has  been  turned  over  to  me,  and  I  can  give  it  to  anyone 

3:23-4:6 


1 1 6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


I  please.  If  you  will  do  homage  before  me,  it  shall  all 
be  yours.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“The  Scripture  says,  ‘You  must  do  homage  before  the 
Lord  your  God,  and  worship  him  alone.’  ” 

And  he  took  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  made  him  stand  on  the 
summit  of  the  Temple,  and  said  to  him, 

“  If  you  are  God’s  son,  throw  yourself  down  from  here,  for 
the  Scripture  says,  ‘He  will  give  his  angels  orders  about  you, 
to  protect  you,’  and,  ‘They  will  lift  you  up  with  their  hands, 
so  that  you  may  never  strike  your  foot  against  a  stone.’  ” 

Jesus  answered, 

“We  have  been  told,  ‘You  shall  not  try  the  Lord  your 
God.’” 

When  the  devil  had  tried  every  kind  of  temptation  he 
left  him  till  another  time. 

Under  the  power  of  the  Spirit  Jesus  returned  to  Galilee, 
and  news  of  him  went  all  over  that  region.  And  he  taught 
in  their  synagogues,  and  was  honored  by  them  all. 

And  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been  brought  up, 
and  on  the  Sabbath  he  went  to  the  synagogue,  as  he  was 
accustomed  to  do,  and  stood  up  to  read  the  Scriptures. 
And  the  roll  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  was  handed  to  him,  and 
he  unrolled  it  and  found  the  place  where  it  says, 

“The  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 

For  he  has  consecrated  me  to  preach  the  good  news  to  the 
poor, 

He  has  sent  me  to  announce  to  the  prisoners  their  release 
and  to  the  blind  the  recovery  of  their  sight, 

To  set  the  down-trodden  at  liberty, 

To  proclaim  the  year  of  the  Lord’s  favor!” 

And  he  rolled  up  the  roll  and  gave  it  back  to  the  attendant 
and  sat  down.  The  eyes  of  everyone  in  the  synagogue  were 
fixed  upon  him.  And  he  began  by  saying  to  them, 

“This  passage  of  Scripture  has  been  fulfilled  here  in  your 
hearing  today!” 

And  they  all  spoke  well  of  him  and  were  astonished  at 
the  winning  words  that  fell  from  his  lips,  and  they  said, 

“Is  he  not  Joseph’s  son  ?” 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


11 7 

He  said  to  them, 

“No  doubt  you  will  quote  this  proverb  to  me:  ‘Doctor, 
cure  yourself!  Do  the  things  here  in  your  own  country  that 
we  hear  you  did  at  Capernaum.’  I  tell  you,”  said  he,  “No 
prophet  is  welcome  in  his  own  country.  But,  I  tell  you,  there 
were  plenty  of  widows  in  Israel  in  Elijah’s  time,  when  the  sky 
was  closed  for  three  years  and  a  half,  and  there  was  a  great 
famine  all  over  the  land,  and  Elijah  was  not  sent  to  one  of 
them,  but  to  a  widow  at  Zarephath  in  Sidon.  And  there 
were  plenty  of  lepers  in  Israel  in  the  time  of  the  prophet 
Elisha,  and  none  of  them  was  cured,  but  Naaman  the  Syrian.” 

And  when  the  people  in  the  synagogue  heard  this,  they 
were  all  very  angry,  and  they  got  up  and  drove  him  out  of  the 
town  and  took  him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  on  which  their  town 
was  built,  intending  to  throw  him  down  from  it.  But  he 
made  his  way  through  the  midst  of  them  and  went  on. 

And  he  came  down  to  Capernaum,  a  town  in  Galilee. 
And  he  taught  them  on  the  Sabbath,  and  they  were  amazed 
at  his  teaching,  for  he  spoke  with  authority.  There  was  a 
man  in  the  synagogue  who  was  possessed  by  the  spirit  of  a 
foul  demon  and  he  cried  out  loudly, 

“Ha!  What  do  you  want  of  us,  Jesus,  you  Nazarene  ? 
Have  you  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  who  you  are!  You 
are  God’s  Holy  One!” 

Jesus  reproved  him  and  said, 

“Silence!  Get  out  of  him !” 

And  the  demon  threw  the  man  down  in  the  midst  of  them, 
and  came  out  of  him,  without  doing  him  any  harm.  And 
they  were  all  amazed  and  said  to  one  another, 

“What  is  the  meaning  of  this  teaching  ?  For  he  gives  orders 
authoritatively  and  effectually  to  the  foul  spirits,  and  they  come 
out.”  And  news  of  him  spread  to  every  place  in  that  region. 

When  he  got  up  and  left  the  synagogue,  he  went  to 
Simon’s  house.  And  Simon’s  mother-in-law  was  suffering 
with  a  severe  attack  of  fever,  and  they  asked  him  about  her. 
And  he  stood  over  her  and  reproved  the  fever  and  it  left  her, 
and  she  got  up  and  waited  on  them. 

As  the  sun  went  down  all  who  had  friends  sick  with  various 
diseases  brought  them  to  him,  and  he  laid  his  hands  on  every 

4:23-40 


1 1 8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


one  of  them  and  cured  them.  And  demons  came  out  of  many 
people,  crying  out, 

“You  are  the  Son  of  God!” 

But  he  reproved  them  and  forbade  them  to  speak, 
because  they  knew  he  was  the  Christ. 

When  it  was  day,  he  left  the  house  and  made  his  way  to 
a  lonely  spot,  and  crowds  of  people  went  in  search  of  him, 
and  overtook  him  and  tried  to  keep  him  from  leaving  them. 
But  he  said  to  them, 

“I  must  preach  the  good  news  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 
to  the  other  towns  also,  for  that  is  what  I  was  sent  to  do.” 

So  he  went  about  Judea,  preaching  in  the  synagogues. 

Once  as  the  crowd  was  pressing  about  him  to  hear  God’s 
message,  he  happened  to  be  standing  by  the  Lake  of 
Gennesaret,  and  he  saw  two  boats  on  the  shore  of  the  lake, 
for  the  fishermen  had  gotten  out  of  them  and  were  washing 
their  nets.  And  he  got  into  one  of  the  boats,  which  belonged 
to  Simon,  and  asked  him  to  push  out  a  little  from  the  shore. 
Then  he  sat  down  and  taught  the  crowds  of  people  from  the 
boat.  When  he  stopped  speaking,  he  said  to  Simon, 

“Push  out  into  deep  water,  and  then  put  down  your  nets 
for  a  haul.” 

Simon  answered, 

“Master,  we  worked  all  night  and  caught  nothing,  but 
as  you  tell  me  to  do  it,  I  will  put  down  the  nets.” 

So  they  did  so,  and  inclosed  such  a  shoal  of  fish  that 
their  nets  began  to  break.  And  they  signaled  to  their 
comrades  in  the  other  boat  to  come  and  help  them.  And 
they  came,  and  they  filled  both  boats  so  full  that  they  began 
to  sink.  When  Simon  Peter  saw  it,  he  fell  down  at  Jesus’ 
feet  and  said, 

“Leave  me,  Master,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man.” 

For  he  and  all  the  men  with  him  were  perfectly  amazed 
at  the  haul  of  fish  that  they  had  made,  and  so  were  Zebedee’s 
sons,  James  and  John,  who  were  Simon’s  partners.  Jesus 
said  to  Simon, 

“Do  not  be  afraid.  From  now  on  you  are  to  catch 
men!” 

4:41-5:10 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


119 

And  they  brought  the  boat  to  land  and  left  everything 
and  followed  him. 

When  he  was  in  one  of  the  towns,  he  came  upon  a  man 
covered  with  leprosy.  And  when  he  saw  Jesus  he  fell  down 
on  his  face,  and  begged  him,  saying, 

“If  you  only  choose,  sir,  you  can  cure  me!” 

And  he  stretched  out  his  hand  and  touched  him,  saying, 

“I  do  choose!  Be  cured!” 

And  the  leprosy  immediately  left  him.  Then  he  warned 
him  to  tell  nobod}^, 

“But  go,”  he  said,  “show  yourself  to  the  priest,  and  in 
proof  of  your  cure  make  the  offerings  for  your  purification, 
just  as  Moses  prescribed.” 

Yet  the  news  about  him  spread  more  and  more,  and  great 
crowds  gathered  to  hear  him  and  to  be  cured  of  their  diseases. 
But  Jesus  himself  Would  retire  into  the  desert  and  pray. 

One  day  as  he  was  teaching,  there  were  some  Pharisees 
and  experts  in  the  Law  sitting  near  by,  who  had  come  from 
every  village  in  Galilee  and  Judea  and  from  Jerusalem.  The 
power  of  the  Lord  was  there,  so  that  he  might  cure  people. 
Some  men  came  up  carrying  on  a  bed  a  man  who  was  para¬ 
lyzed,  and  they  tried  to  get  him  in  and  lay  him  before  Jesus. 
And  as  they  could  find  no  way  to  get  him  in,  on  account  of 
the  crowd,  they  went  up  on  the  roof  and  let  him  down  with 
his  mat  through  the  tiles,  among  the  people  in  front  of 
Jesus.  When  he  saw  their  faith,  he  said, 

“Friend,  your  sins  are  forgiven!” 

And  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  began  to  debate  and  say, 

“Who  is  this  man  who  talks  blasphemy  ?  Who  can 
forgive  sins  but  God  alone  ?” 

But  Jesus  saw  what  they  were  discussing,  and  said  to  them, 

“What  are  you  pondering  over  in  your  minds  ?  Which 
is  easier,  to  say,  ‘Your  sins  are  forgiven,’  or  to  say,  ‘Get  up 
and  walk’  ?  But  to  let  you  know  that  the  Son  of  Man  has 
authority  to  forgive  sins  on  earth” — turning  to  the  man 
who  was  paralyzed  he  said  to  him — “  I  tell  you,  get  up,  pick 
up  your  mat,  and  go  home!” 

And  he  got  up  at  once  before  them  all,  and  picked  up 
what  he  had  been  lying  on,  and  went  home,  praising  God. 

5:11-25 


120 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


They  were  all  seized  with  astonishment,  and  praised  God,  and 
filled  with  awe  they  said, 

“We  have  seen  something  wonderful  today!” 

After  this  he  went  out,  and  he  saw  a  tax-collector  named 
Levi  sitting  at  the  tollhouse,  and  he  said  to  him, 

“ Follow  me!” 

And  he  left  everything  and  got  up  and  followed  him. 
Then  Levi  gave  a  great  entertainment  for  him  in  his  house, 
and  there  was  a  great  throng  of  tax-collectors  and  others  who 
were  at  table  with  them.  And  the  Pharisees  and  their  scribes 
grumbled  about  it  to  his  disciples,  and  said, 

“Why  do  you  eat  and  drink  with  tax-collectors  and 
irreligious  people  ?” 

Jesus  answered  them, 

“It  is  not  well  people  but  the  sick  who  have  to  have  the 
doctor.  I  have  not  come  to  invite  the  pious  but  the  irreligious 
to  repentance!” 

They  said  to  him, 

“John’s  disciples  observe  frequent  fasts  and  offer  prayers, 
and  so  do  the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees,  but  your  disciples 
eat  and  drink.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  Can  you  make  wedding  guests  fast  while  the  bridegroom 
is  with  them  ?  But  other  days  will  come,  and  when  the 
bridegroom  is  taken  away  from  them,  in  those  days  they 
will  fast.” 

He  used  this  figure  also  in  speaking  to  them: 

“No  one  tears  a  piece  from  a  new  coat  and  sews  it  on  an 
old  one,  or  if  he  does,  he  will  both  tear  the  new  one  and  the 
piece  from  the  new  one  will  not  match  the  old  one.  And 
nobody  puts  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins,  or  if  he  does,  the 
new  wine  will  burst  the  skins  and  run  out,  and  the  skins  will 
be  spoiled.  New  wine  has  to  be  put  into  fresh  skins. 
No  one  after  drinking  old  wine  wants  new,  for  he  says,  ‘The 
old  is  better!’  ” 

One  Sabbath  he  happened  to  be  passing  through  the  wheat 
fields,  and  his  disciples  were  picking  the  heads  of  wheat,  and 
eating  them,  rubbing  them  in  their  hands.  And  some  of 
the  Pharisees  said, 

5:26-6:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


I  21 


“Why  do  you  do  what  it  is  against  the  Law  to  do  on  the 
Sabbath  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Have  you  not  read  even  what  David  did,  when  he  and 
his  companions  were  hungry  ?  How  he  went  into  the  house  of 
God  and  took  the  Presentation  Loaves,  which  it  was  against 
the  Law  for  anyone  but  the  priests  to  eat,  and  ate  them  with 
his  companions  ?”  And  he  said  to  them,  “The  Son  of  Man  is 
master  of  the  Sabbath.” 

On  another  Sabbath  he  happened  to  go  to  the  synagogue 
and  teach.  There  was  a  man  there  whose  right  hand  was 
withered.  And  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  were  on  the 
watch  to  see  whether  he  would  cure  people  on  the  Sabbath, 
in  order  to  find  a  charge  to  bring  against  him.  But  he  knew 
what  they  were  thinking,  and  he  said  to  the  man  with  the 
withered  hand, 

“Get  up  and  stand  in  front.” 

And  he  got  up  and  stood  there.  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“I  want  to  ask  you,  Is  it  allowable  on  the  Sabbath  to  do 
people  good  or  to  do  them  harm  ?  to  save  life  or  to  destroy  it  ?” 

And  he  looked  around  at  them  all  and  said  to  the  man, 

“Hold  out  your  hand!” 

And  he  did  so,  and  his  hand  was  restored. 

But  they  were  perfectly  furious,  and  discussed  with  one 
another  what  they  could  do  to  Jesus. 

It  was  in  those  days  that  he  went  up  on  the  mountain  to 
pray,  and  passed  the  whole  night  in  prayer  to  God.  When 
day  came,  he  called  his  disciples  to  him,  and  chose  twelve  of 
them  whom  he  named  apostles:  Simon,  whom  he  named 
Peter,  his  brother  Andrew,  James,  John,  Philip,  Bartholomew, 
Matthew,  Thomas,  James,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  Simon,  who 
was  called  the  Zealot,  Judas,  the  son  of  James,  and  Judas 
Iscariot,  who  turned  out  a  traitor.  And  he  came  down  with 
them  and  took  his  stand  on  a  level  place  with  a  great  throng 
of  his  disciples,  and  a  large  number  of  people  from  all  over 
Judea  and  from  Jerusalem  and  the  seacoast  district  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  who  had  come  to  hear  him  and  to  be  cured  of  their 
diseases.  And  those  who  were  troubled  with  foul  spirits 
were  cured.  And  all  the  people  tried  to  touch  him,  because 

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THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


power  went  forth  from  him  and  cured  them  all.  Then  he  fixed 
his  eyes  on  his  disciples,  and  said, 

“Blessed  are  you  who  are  poor,  for  the  Kingdom  of  God 
is  yours! 

“  Blessed  are  you  who  are  hungry  now,  for  you  will  be 
satisfied ! 

“Blessed  are  you  who  weep  now,  for  you  will  laugh! 

“  Blessed  are  you  when  people  hate  you  and  exclude  you 
and  denounce  you  and  spurn  the  name  you  bear  as  evil,  on 
account  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Be  glad  when  that  happens, 
and  leap  for  joy,  for  you  will  be  richly  rewarded  in  heaven, 
for  that  is  the  way  their  forefathers  treated  the  prophets. 

“  But  alas  for  you  who  are  rich,  for  you  have  had  your 
comfort! 

“Alas  for  you  who  have  plenty  to  eat  now,  for  you  will  be 
hungry ! 

“Alas  for  you  who  laugh  now,  for  you  will  mourn  and  weep ! 

“Alas  for  you  when  everyone  speaks  well  of  you,  for  that 
is  the  way  their  forefathers  treated  the  false  prophets! 

“  But  I  tell  you  who  hear  me,  love  your  enemies,  treat 
those  who  hate  you  well,  bless  those  who  curse  you,  pray  for 
those  who  abuse  you.  To  the  man  that  strikes  you  on  the 
cheek,  offer  the  other  also,  and  from  the  man  who  takes 
away  your  coat,  do  not  keep  back  your  shirt  either.  Give  to 
everyone  that  asks  of  you,  and  if  anyone  takes  away  what  is 
yours,  do  not  demand  it  back.  And  treat  men  just  as  you 
wish  them  to  treat  you.  If  you  love  only  those  who  love  you, 
what  merit  is  there  in  that  ?  For  even  godless  people  love 
those  who  love  them.  And  if  you  help  only  those  who  help 
you,  what  merit  is  there  in  that  ?  Even  godless  people  act 
in  that  way.  And  if  you  lend  only  to  people  from  whom  you 
expect  to  get  something,  what  merit  is  there  in  that  ?  Even 
godless  people  lend  to  godless  people,  meaning  to  get  it  back 
again  in  full.  But  love  your  enemies,  and  help  them  and  lend 
to  them,  never  despairing,  and  you  will  be  richly  rewarded, 
and  you  will  be  sons  of  the  Most  High,  for  he  is  kind  even  to 
the  ungrateful  and  the  wicked.  You  must  be  merciful,  just 
as  your  Father  is.  Do  not  judge  others,  and  they  will  not 
judge  you.  Do  not  condemn  them,  and  they  will  not  con- 

6 : 20—37 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


123 


demn  you.  Excuse  others  and  they  will  excuse  you.  Give, 
and  they  will  give  to  you;  good  measure,  pressed  down, 
shaken  together,  and  running  over,  they  will  pour  into  your 
lap.  For  the  measure  you  use  with  others  they  in  turn  will 
use  with  you.” 

And  he  used  a  figure,  saying, 

“Can  one  blind  man  lead  another  ?  Will  they  not  both 
fall  into  a  hole  ?  A  pupil  is  not  better  than  his  teacher,  but 
every  pupil  when  he  is  fully  trained  will  be  like  his  teacher. 
Why  do  you  keep  looking  at  the  speck  in  your  brother’s  eye, 
and  pay  no  attention  to  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own  ?  How 
can  you  say  to  your  brother,  ‘Brother,  just  let  me  get  that 
speck  out  of  your  eye,’  when  you  cannot  see  the  beam  in  your 
own  eye  ?  You  hypocrite!  First  get  the  beam  out  of  your 
own  eye,  and  then  you  can  see  to  get  out  the  speck  in  your 
brother’s  eye.  For  sound  trees  do  not  bear  bad  fruit,  nor 
bad  trees  sound  fruit.  Every  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit. 
They  do  not  pick  figs  off  thorns,  or  gather  grapes  from 
brambles.  A  good  man,  out  of  the  good  he  has  accumulated 
in  his  heart,  produces  good,  and  a  bad  man,  out  of  what  he  has 
accumulated  that  is  bad,  produces  what  is  bad.  For  his 
mouth  says  only  what  his  heart  is  full  of.  Why  do  you  call 
me:  ‘Lord!  Lord!’  and  not  do  what  I  tell  you  ?  If  anyone 
comes  to  me  and  listens  to  this  teaching  of  mine  and  acts  upon 
it,  I  will  show  you  whom  he  is  like.  He  is  like  a  man  who 
was  building  a  house,  who  dug  deep  and  laid  his  foundation 
upon  the  rock,  and  when  there  was  a  flood  the  torrent  burst 
upon  that  house  and  could  not  shake  it,  because  it  was  well 
built.  But  the  man  who  listens  to  it,  and  does  not  act  upon 
it,  is  like  a  man  who  built  a  house  on  the  ground  without 
any  foundation.  The  torrent  burst  upon  it,  and  it  collapsed 
at  once,  and  the  wreck  of  that  house  was  complete.” 

When  he  had  finished  saying  all  this  in  the  hearing  of 
the  people,  he  went  to  Capernaum. 

A  Roman  captain  had  a  slave  whom  he  thought  a  great 
deal  of,  and  the  slave  was  sick  and  at  the  point  of  death.  When 
the  captain  heard  about  Jesus,  he  sent  some  Jewish  elders 
to  him,  to  ask  him  to  come  and  save  his  slave’s  life.  And 
they  went  to  Jesus  and  urged  him  strongly  to  do  it,  and  said, 

6:38-7:4 


124 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“He  deserves  to  have  you  do  this  for  him,  for  he  loves 
our  nation,  and  it  was  he  who  built  us  our  synagogue.” 

So  Jesus  went  with  them.  But  when  he  was  not  far  from 
the  house,  the  captain  sent  some  friends  to  him,  to  say  to  him, 
“  Master,  do  not  take  any  more  trouble,  for  I  am  not  a 
suitable  person  to  have  you  under  my  roof.  That  is  why 
I  did  not  think  I  was  fit  to  come  to  you.  But  simply  say 
the  word,  and  have  my  servant  cured.  For  I  am  myself 
under  the  orders  of  others,  and  I  have  soldiers  under  me,  and 
I  tell  one  to  go,  and  he  goes,  and  another  to  come,  and  he 
comes,  and  my  slave  to  do  something,  and  he  does  it.” 

When  Jesus  heard  this,  he  was  astonished  at  him,  and 
turning  to  the  crowd  that  was  following  him,  he  said, 

“I  tell  you,  I  have  not  found  such  faith  as  this  even  in 
Israel!” 

And  when  the  messengers  went  back  to  the  house,  they 
found  the  slave  well. 

Soon  afterward  he  happened  to  go  to  a  town  called  Nain, 
and  his  disciples  and  a  great  throng  of  people  were  with  him. 
As  he  came  up  to  the  gate  of  the  town,  a  dead  man  was  being 
carried  out;  he  was  his  mother’s  only  son,  and  she  was  a 
widow.  A  crowd  of  the  townspeople  was  with  her.  And 
when  the  Master  saw  her,  he  pitied  her,  and  said  to  her, 

“  Do  not  weep.” 

And  he  went  up  and  touched  the  bier,  and  the  bearers 
stopped.  And  he  said, 

“Young  man,  I  tell  you,  wake  up!” 

And  the  dead  man  sat  up  and  began  to  speak,  and  he 
gave  him  back  to  his  mother.  And  they  were  all  overcome 
with  awe,  and  they  praised  God,  and  said, 

“A  great  prophet  has  appeared  among  us!”  and  “God 
has  not  forgotten  his  people!” 

This  story  about  him  spread  all  over  Judea  and  the 
surrounding  country. 

John’s  disciples  told  him  of  all  this,  and  he  called  two 
of  them  to  him,  and  sent  them  to  the  Master  to  ask  him, 
“Are  you  the  one  who  was  to  come,  or  should  we  look 
for  someone  else  ?” 

And  the  men  went  to  him  and  said, 


7:5-20 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


125 

“John  the  Baptist  sent  us  to  you  to  ask,  ‘Are  you  the  one 
who  was  to  come,  or  should  we  look  for  someone  else  ?’  ” 

Just  then  he  cured  many  of  diseases  and  ailments  and 
foul  spirits,  and  he  gave  sight  to  many  who  were  blind.  And 
he  answered  them, 

“Go  and  report  to  John  what  you  have  seen  and  heard. 
The  blind  are  regaining  their  sight,  the  lame  can  walk,  the 
lepers  are  being  cured  and  the  deaf  can  hear,  the  dead  are 
being  raised  and  good  news  is  being  preached  to  the  poor. 
And  blessed  is  the  man  who  finds  nothing  that  repels  him 

•  yy 

in  me. 

When  John’s  messengers  were  gone,  he  began  to  speak  to 
the  crowds  about  John. 

“What  was  it  that  you  went  out  into  the  desert  to  look 
at  ?  A  reed  swaying  in  the  wind  ?  Then  what  did  you  go 
out  there  to  see  ?  A  man  luxuriously  dressed  ?  Men  who 
wear  fine  clothes  and  live  in  luxury  you  nd  in  palaces. 
Then  what  did  you  go  out  there  to  see  ?  A  prophet  ?  Yes, 
I  tell  you,  and  far  more  than  a  prophet!  This  is  the  man  of 
whom  the  Scripture  says, 

“  ‘Here  I  send  my  messenger  on  before  you, 

He  will  prepare  the  road  ahead  of  you !’ 

“I  tell  you,  among  men  born  of  women  there  is  none 
greater  than  John;  and  yet  those  who  are  of  little  importance 
in  the  Kingdom  of  God  are  greater  than  he.  And  all  the 
people,  even  the  tax-collectors,  when  they  heard  him,  acknowl¬ 
edged  the  justice  of  God’s  demands,  by  accepting  baptism 
from  John,  but  the  Pharisees  and  experts  in  the  Law  thwarted 
God’s  purpose  for  themselves,  by  refusing  to  be  baptized  by 
him.  So  what  is  there  to  which  I  can  compare  the  men  of  this 
age  ?  What  are  they  like  ?  They  are  like  children  sitting 
about  in  the  bazaar  and  calling  out  to  one  another, 

“  ‘We  have  played  the  flute  for  you,  and  you  would  not 
dance ! 

We  have  wailed  and  you  would  not  weep!’ 

“For  when  John  the  Baptist  came,  he  did  not  eat  any 
bread  or  drink  any  wine,  and  you  said,  ‘He  has  a  demon!’ 
Now  that  the  Son  of  Man  has  come,  he  does  eat  and  drink, 
and  you  say,  ‘Look  at  him!  A  glutton  and  a  drinker,  the 

7:21-34 


126 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


companion  of  tax-collectors  and  irreligious  people!’  So 
wisdom  is  vindicated  by  all  who  are  really  wise.” 

One  of  the  Pharisees  asked  him  to  have  dinner  with  him, 
and  he  went  to  the  Pharisee’s  house  and  took  his  place  at  the 
table.  Now  there  was  a  woman  in  the  town  who  was  leading 
a  sinful  life,  and  when  she  learned  that  he  was  having  dinner 
at  the  Pharisee’s  house,  she  got  an  alabaster  flask  of  perfume, 
and  came  and  stood  behind  him  at  his  feet,  weeping,  and  began 
to  wet  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  she  wiped  them  with  her 
hair,  and  kissed  them,  and  put  the  perfume  on  them.  When 
the  Pharisee  who  had  invited  him  saw  this,  he  said  to  himself, 

“If  this  man  were  really  a  prophet,  he  would  know  who 
and  what  the  woman  is  who  is  touching  him,  for  she  leads  a 
wicked  life.” 

Jesus  answered  him,  and  said  to  him, 

“Simon,  there  is  something  I  want  to  say  to  you.” 

He  said, 

“Proceed,  Master.” 

“Two  men  were  in  debt  to  a  money-lender.  One  owed 
him  a  hundred  dollars  and  the  other  ten.  As  they  could  not 
pay  him,  he  canceled  what  they  owed  him.  Now  which 
of  them  will  be  more  attached  to  him  ?” 

Simon  answered, 

“The  one,  I  suppose,  for  whom  he  canceled  most.” 

“You  are  right,”  he  said.  And  turning  to  the  woman, 
he  said  to  Simon, 

“Do  you  see  this  woman  ?  I  came  to  your  house;  you 
did  not  give  me  any  water  for  my  feet,  but  she  has  wet  my 
feet  with  tears  and  wiped  them  with  her  hair.  You  did  not 
give  me  a  kiss,  but  from  the  moment  I  came  in  she  has  not 
stopped  kissing  my  feet.  You  did  not  put  any  oil  upon  my 
head,  but  she  has  put  perfume  upon  my  feet.  Therefore, 
I  tell  you,  her  sins,  many  as  they  are,  are  forgiven,  for  she 
has  loved  me  so  much.  But  the  man  with  little  to  be  forgiven 
loves  me  but  little.” 

And  he  said  to  her, 

“Your  sins  are  forgiven!” 

The  men  at  table  with  him  began  to  say  to  them¬ 
selves, 

7:35~49 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


127 


“Who  is  this  man,  who  even  forgives  sins  ?” 

But  he  said  to  the  woman, 

‘It  is  your  faith  that  has  saved  you.  Go  in  peace.” 

Soon  afterward  he  went  about  among  the  villages  and 
towns  preaching  and  telling  the  good  news  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  The  Twelve  went  with  him,  and  some  women  who 
had  been  cured  of  evil  spirits  and  sickness — Mary,  who  was 
called  Mary  of  Magdala,  out  of  whom  seven  demons  had 
been  driven,  and  Joanna,  the  wife  of  Chuza,  Herod’s  manager, 
and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  who  provided  for  them  with 
their  means. 

When  a  great  throng  was  gathering  and  people  were 
coming  to  him  from  one  town  after  another,  he  said  in  his 
figurative  way, 

“A  sower  went  out  to  sow  his  seed.  As  he  was  sowing, 
some  of  the  seed  fell  by  the  path  and  was  trodden  on,  and 
the  wild  birds  ate  it  up.  And  some  of  it  fell  upon  the  rock, 
and  when  it  sprang  up  it  withered,  because  it  had  no  moisture. 
And  some  fell  among  the  thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up  with 
it  and  choked  it  out.  And  some  fell  on  good  soil,  and  grew 
up  and  yielded  a  hundred  fold!” 

As  he  said  this  he  called  out, 

“Let  him  who  has  ears  to  hear  with,  listen!” 

His  disciples  asked  him  what  this  figure  meant. 
And  he  said, 

“You  are  permitted  to  know  the  secrets  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God,  but  they  are  given  to  others  in  the  form  of  figures, 
so  that  they  may  look  and  yet  not  see,  and  hear  and  yet  not 
understand.  This  is  what  the  figure  means.  The  seed  is 
God’s  message.  The  ones  by  the  path  are  those  who  hear, 
and  then  the  devil  comes  and  carries  off  the  message  from  their 
hearts,  so  that  they  may  not  believe  it  and  be  saved.  The 
ones  on  the  rock  are  those  who  receive  the  message  joyfully 
when  they  first  hear  it,  but  it  takes  no  real  root.  They  believe 
for  a  little  while,  and  then  in  the  time  of  trial  they  draw  back. 
And  what  falls  among  the  thorns  means  those  who  listen  and 
pass  on,  and  the  worries  and  wealth  and  pleasures  of  life  stifle 
them  and  they  yield  nothing.  But  the  seed  in  the  good  soil 

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128 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


means  those  who  listen  to  the  message  and  keep  it  in  good, 
true  hearts,  and  yield  unfailingly. 

“Nobody  lights  a  lamp  and  then  covers  it  with  a  dish  or 
puts  it  under  a  bed,  but  he  puts  it  on  its  stand,  so  that  those 
who  come  in  may  see  the  light.  For  there  is  nothing  hidden 
that  shall  not  be  disclosed,  nor  kept  secret  that  shall  not  be 
known  and  come  to  light.  So  take  care  how  you  listen. 
For  people  who  have  will  have  more  given  to  them,  and  from 
people  who  have  nothing,  even  what  they  think  they  have 
will  be  taken  away.” 

His  mother  and  his  brothers  came  to  him,  but  they  could 
not  get  near  him,  on  account  of  the  crowd.  And  the  word 
came  to  him, 

“Your  mother  and  your  brothers  are  standing  outside; 
they  want  to  see  you.” 

He  answered, 

“My  mother  and  my  brothers  are  those  who  listen  to 
God’s  message  and  obey  it!” 

It  happened  one  day  that  he  got  into  a  boat  with  his 
disciples,  and  said  to  them, 

“Let  us  cross  to  the  other  side  of  the  lake.” 

So  they  set  sail.  As  they  sailed  along,  he  fell  asleep. 
And  a  squall  of  wind  came  down  upon  the  lake,  and  they  were 
being  swamped  and  were  in  peril.  And  they  went  to  him 
and  woke  him  up,  and  said  to  him, 

“Master!  Master!  We  are  lost!” 

Then  he  awoke  and  reproved  the  wind  and  the  rough 
water,  and  they  ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm.  And  he  said  to 
them, 

“Where  is  your  faith  ?” 

But  they  were  frightened  and  amazed,  and  said  to  one 
another, 

“Who  can  he  be  ?  For  he  gives  orders  even  to  the  winds 
and  the  water,  and  they  obey  him!” 

They  made  a  landing  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gerasa,  which 
is  just  across  the  lake  from  Galilee.  And  when  he  landed,  he 
met  a  man  possessed  by  demons,  who  was  coming  out  of  the 
town.  He  had  worn  no  clothing  for  a  long  time,  and  did  not 
live  in  a  house  but  in  the  tombs.  When  he  saw  Jesus  he  cried 

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129 


out  and  threw  himself  down  before  him,  and  said  in  a  loud 
voice, 

“What  do  you  want  of  me,  Jesus,  Son  of  the  Most  High 
God  ?  I  beg  you  not  to  torture  me!” 

For  he  was  commanding  the  foul  spirit  to  get  out  of 
the  man.  For  it  had  often  seized  him,  and  though  he  had 
been  fastened  with  chains  and  fetters,  and  was  closely  watched, 
he  would  snap  his  bonds  and  the  demon  would  drive  him 
away  to  the  desert.  And  Jesus  asked  him, 

“What  is  your  name  ?” 

He  said, 

“Legion!”  For  many  demons  had  gone  into  him. 
And  they  begged  him  not  to  order  them  off  to  the  bottomless 
pit.  Now  there  was  a  large  drove  of  pigs  feeding  there  on  the 
hillside,  and  they  begged  him  to  give  them  leave  to  go  into 
them.  And  he  did  so.  Then  the  demons  came  out  of  the 
man  and  went  into  the  pigs,  and  the  drove  rushed  over  the 
steep  bank  into  the  lake,  and  were  drowned.  When  the  men 
who  tended  them  saw  what  had  happened,  they  ran  away  and 
spread  the  news  in  the  town  and  in  the  country  around. 
And  the  people  came  out  to  see  what  had  happened,  and 
they  came  to  Jesus  and  found  the  man  out  of  whom  the 
demons  had  gone  sitting  there,  at  Jesus’  feet,  with  his  clothes 
on  and  in  his  right  mind,  and  they  were  frightened.  And 
those  who  had  seen  it  told  them  how  the  man  who  had  been 
possessed  was  cured.  Then  all  the  people  of  the  neighborhood 
of  Gerasa  asked  him  to  go  away  from  them,  for  they  were 
terribly  frightened.  And  he  got  into  a  boat  and  went  back. 
The  man  out  of  whom  the  demons  had  gone  begged  to  go 
with  him,  but  Jesus  sent  him  away,  and  said, 

“  Go  back  to  your  home,  and  tell  all  that  God  has  done  for 
you.” 

And  he  went  and  told  all  over  the  town  what  Jesus  had 
done  for  him. 

When  Jesus  returned,  the  people  welcomed  him,  for  they 
were  all  watching  for  him.  And  a  man  named  Jairus 
came  up — he  was  leader  of  the  synagogue — and  he  fell  down 
at  Jesus’  feet  and  begged  him  to  come  to  his  house,  because 
he  had  an  only  daughter,  about  twelve  years  old,  and  she 

8:29—42 


130 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


was  dying.  As  he  was  going,  the  crowds  of  people  almost 
crushed  him.  And  a  woman  who  had  had  a  hemorrhage  for 
twelve  years,  and  whom  nobody  had  been  able  to  cure,  came 
up  behind  him  and  touched  the  tassel  of  his  cloak,  and  the 
hemorrhage  stopped  at  once.  Jesus  said, 

“Who  was  it  who  touched  me  ?” 

And  as  everyone  denied  having  done  so,  Peter  said, 

“Master,  the  people  are  all  around  you  and  they  are 
crowding  you.” 

But  Jesus  said, 

“Somebody  touched  me,  for  I  know  that  power  passed 
from  me.” 

When  the  woman  saw  that  she  had  not  escaped  his 
notice,  she  came  forward  trembling,  and  fell  down  before  him, 
and  before  all  the  people  told  why  she  had  touched  him,  and 
how  she  had  been  cured  at  once.  And  he  said  to  her, 

“My  daughter,  it  is  your  faith  that  has  cured  you.  Go 
in  peace.” 

Even  as  he  spoke  someone  came  from  the  house  of  the 
leader  of  the  synagogue  and  said, 

“Your  daughter  is  dead.  Do  not  trouble  the  Master 
any  more.” 

But  Jesus  heard  it  and  said  to  him, 

“  Do  not  be  afraid;  just  have  faith,  and  she  will  get  well.” 

When  he  got  to  the  house,  he  let  no  one  go  in  with  him 
but  Peter,  James,  and  John,  and  the  child’s  father  and 
mother.  And  they  were  all  wailing  and  beating  their  breasts 
for  her.  But  he  said, 

“Stop  wailing!  For  she  is  not  dead,  she  is  asleep.” 

And  they  laughed  at  him,  for  they  knew  that  she  was 
dead.  But  he  grasped  her  hand  and  called  out, 

“Get  up,  my  child!” 

And  her  spirit  returned  and  she  stood  up  immediately, 
and  he  directed  them  to  give  her  something  to  eat.  And  her 
parents  were  amazed,  but  he  ordered  them  not  to  tell  anyone 
what  had  happened. 

Then  he  called  the  Twelve  together,  and  gave  them  power 
and  authority  over  all  the  demons,  and  to  cure  diseases,  and 

8  •  43-9  •  1 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


*3* 

he  sent  them  out  to  proclaim  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  to  cure 
the  sick.  He  said  to  them, 

“  Do  not  take  anything  for  your  journey,  no  staff  nor  bag 
nor  bread  nor  money,  nor  an  extra  shirt.  Whatever  house  you 
go  to  stay  in,  remain  there,  and  start  on  again  from  it.  And 
where  they  will  not  welcome  you,  leave  that  town  and  shake 
off  the  very  dust  from  your  feet  as  a  protest  against 
them.” 

And  they  set  forth  and  went  from  village  to  village,  telling 
the  good  news  and  curing  people  everywhere. 

Herod  the  governor  heard  of  all  that  was  happening, 
and  he  was  perplexed  because  some  people  said  that  John  had 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  some  that  Elijah  had  appeared,  and 
others  that  one  of  the  ancient  prophets  had  come  back  to  life. 
But  Herod  said, 

“John  I  have  beheaded,  but  who  can  this  be  about  whom 
I  hear  such  reports  ?” 

And  he  endeavored  to  see  him. 

Then  the  apostles  came  back  and  told  Jesus  what  they 
had  done.  And  he  took  them  and  quietly  retired  to  a  town 
called  Bethsaida.  But  the  crowds  learned  of  it  and  followed 
him,  and  he  welcomed  them  and  spoke  to  them  about  the 
Kingdom  of  God,  and  he  cured  those  who  needed  to  be  cured. 
When  the  day  began  to  decline,  the  Twelve  came  up  and  said 
to  him, 

“Send  the  crowd  away  to  the  villages  and  farms  around 
to  find  food  and  shelter,  for  we  are  in  a  lonely  place 
here.” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“Give  them  food  yourselves!” 

And  they  said, 

“We  have  only  five  loaves  and  two  fish,  unless  we  go 
ourselves  and  buy  food  for  all  these  people.”  For  there  were 
about  five  thousand  men. 

But  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Have  them  sit  down  in  groups  of  about  fifty  each.” 

And  they  did  so,  and  made  them  all  sit  down.  Then  he 
took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fish  and  looked  up  to  heaven 
and  blessed  them,  and  he  broke  them  in  pieces  and  gave  them 

9:3-16 


132 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


to  the  disciples  to  pass  to  the  people.  And  they  all  ate  and 
had  enough,  and  the  pieces  left  over  that  were  gathered  up 
filled  twelve  baskets. 

Once  when  he  was  praying  by  himself,  with  only  the 
disciples  near  him,  he  asked  them, 

“Who  do  the  people  say  that  I  am  ?” 

They  answered, 

“John  the  Baptist,  though  others  say  Elijah,  and  others 
that  one  of  the  old  prophets  has  come  back  to  life.” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“But  who  do  you  say  that  I  am  ?” 

Peter  answered, 

“The  Christ  of  God!” 

But  he  warned  them  particularly  not  to  tell  this  to 
anyone,  and  said, 

“The  Son  of  Man  must  endure  great  suffering  and  be 
refused  by  the  elders,  the  high  priests,  and  the  scribes,  and  be 
killed,  and  be  raised  to  life  on  the  third  day.” 

And  he  said  to  everyone, 

“If  anyone  wants  to  go  with  me,  he  must  disregard 
himself,  and  take  his  cross  day  after  day  and  follow  me.  For 
whoever  wants  to  preserve  his  life  will  lose  it,  and  whoever 
loses  his  life  for  me  will  preserve  it.  What  good  does  it  do 
a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  or  forfeit  himself? 
For  if  anyone  is  ashamed  of  me  and  my  teaching  the  Son  of 
Man  will  be  ashamed  of  him,  when  he  comes  with  all  the 
glory  of  his  Father  and  of  the  holy  angels.  I  tell  you,  some 
of  you  who  stand  here  will  certainly  live  to  see  the  Kingdom 
of  God!” 

It  was  about  eight  days  after  Jesus  said  this  that  he  took 
Peter,  John,  and  James,  and  went  up  on  the  mountain  to  pray. 
And  as  he  was  praying,  the  look  of  his  face  changed  and  his 
clothes  turned  dazzling  white.  And  two  men  were  talking 
with  him.  They  were  Moses  and  Elijah,  and  they  appeared 
in  glory  and  spoke  of  his  departure  which  he  was  to  go 
through  with  at  Jerusalem.  Peter  and  his  companions  had 
been  overcome  by  sleep,  but  waking  up  they  saw  his  glorious 
appearance  and  the  two  men  standing  by  him.  Just  as  they 
were  parting  from  him,  Peter  said  to  Jesus, 

9:i7-33 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


133 


“Master,  how  good  it  is  that  we  are  here!  Let  us  put 
up  three  huts,  one  for  you  and  one  for  Moses  and  one  for 
Elijah!”  For  he  did  not  know  what  he  was  saying. 

But  as  he  said  it,  a  cloud  came  and  overshadowed  them, 
and  they  were  frightened  as  they  passed  under  the  cloud. 
And  from  the  cloud  came  a  voice  that  said, 

“This  is  my  Son,  my  Chosen!  Listen  to  him!” 

At  the  sound  of  the  voice,  they  saw  that  Jesus  was  alone. 
And  they  kept  silence,  and  said  nothing  about  it  to  anyone 
at  that  time. 

The  next  day,  when  they  had  come  down  from  the 
mountain,  it  happened  that  a  great  crowd  met  him.  And  a 
man  in  the  crowd  shouted, 

“Master,  I  beg  you  to  look  at  my  son,  for  he  is  my  only 
child,  and  all  at  once  a  spirit  seizes  him,  and  he  suddenly 
cries  out,  and  it  convulses  him  until  he  foams  at  the  mouth, 
and  it  leaves  him,  after  a  struggle,  badly  bruised.  And  I 
begged  your  disciples  to  drive  it  out,  and  they  could  not.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“O  you  unbelieving,  obstinate  people!  How  long  must 
I  be  with  you  and  put  up  with  you  ?  Bring  your  son  here!” 

Even  while  the  boy  was  coming,  the  demon  threw  him 
down  and  convulsed  him,  but  Jesus  reproved  the  foul  spirit 
and  cured  the  boy  and  gave  him  back  to  his  father.  And 
they  were  all  amazed  at  the  power  of  God. 

While  everybody  was  full  of  wonder  at  all  that  he  was 
doing,  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“You  must  store  up  these  teachings  in  your  minds,  for 
the  Son  of  Man  is  going  to  be  handed  over  to  men.” 

But  they  did  not  understand  what  he  meant,  indeed  it 
was  concealed  from  them,  in  order  that  they  might  not 
comprehend  it,  and  they  were  afraid  to  ask  him  what  he 
meant. 

A  discussion  arose  among  them  as  to  which  of  them 
would  be  the  greatest.  But  Jesus  knew  the  question  that 
was  in  their  minds  and  he  took  a  child  and  made  him  stand  by 
his  side,  and  said  to  them, 

“Whoever  welcomes  this  child  on  my  account  is  welcom¬ 
ing  me,  and  whoever  welcomes  me,  welcomes  him  who  has 

9:34-48 


134 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


sent  me.  For  it  is  the  lowliest  among  you  all  who  is  really 
great.” 

John  answered, 

“Master,  we  saw  a  man  driving  out  demons  with  your 
name,  and  we  told  him  not  to  do  so,  for  he  does  not  go 
with  us.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Do  not  try  to  stop  him,  for  the  man  who  is  not  against 
you  is  for  you.” 

As  the  time  approached  when  he  was  to  be  taken  up 
to  heaven,  he  set  his  face  toward  Jerusalem,  and  sent  messen¬ 
gers  before  him.  They  started  out  and  went  into  a  Samaritan 
village,  to  make  preparations  for  him.  And  the  people 
there  would  not  receive  him,  because  he  was  going  to 
Jerusalem.  When  the  disciples,  James  and  John,  saw  this, 
they  said, 

“Master,  will  you  have  us  order  fire  to  come  down  from 
heaven  and  consume  them  ?” 

But  he  turned  and  reproved  them.  And  they  went  on 
to  another  village. 

As  they  were  going  along  the  road,  a  man  said  to 
him, 

“I  will  follow  you  wherever  you  go.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Foxes  have  holes,  and  wild  birds  have  nests,  but  the 
Son  of  Man  has  nowhere  to  lay  his  head!” 

He  said  to  another, 

“  Follow  me.” 

But  he  said, 

“Let  me  first  go  and  bury  my  father.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own  dead;  you  must  go  and 
spread  the  news  of  the  Kingdom  of  God!” 

Yet  another  man  said  to  him, 

“Master,  I  am  going  to  follow  you,  but  let  me  first  say 
goodbye  to  my  people  at  home.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“No  one  who  puts  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  then  looks 
back,  is  fitted  for  the  Kingdom  of  God,” 

9:49—62 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


J35 


After  this  the  Master  appointed  seventy-two  others,  and 
sent  them  on  before  him,  two  by  two,  to  every  town  or  place 
to  which  he  intended  to  come.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“The  harvest  is  abundant  enough,  but  the  reapers  are 
few.  So  pray  to  the  owner  of  the  harvest  to  send  reapers 
to  gather  it.  Now  go.  Here  I  send  you  out  like  lambs 
among  wolves.  Carry  no  purse  nor  wallet  nor  shoes,  and  do 
not  stop  to  exchange  civilities  with  anyone  on  the  way. 
Whenever  you  go  to  stay  at  a  house,  first  say,  ‘Peace  to  this 
household!’  If  there  is  anyone  there  who  loves  peace,  your 
blessing  will  rest  upon  him,  but  if  there  is  not,  it  will  come 
back  to  you.  Stay  at  the  same  house,  eating  and  drinking 
what  they  offer  you,  for  the  workman  deserves  his  pay.  Do 
not  change  from  one  house  to  another.  Whenever  you  come 
to  a  town  and  they  welcome  you,  eat  what  is  offered  you, 
and  cure  the  sick  there,  and  say  to  them,  ‘The  Kingdom  of 
God  is  close  upon  you!’  But  whenever  you  come  to  a  town 
and  they  do  not  welcome  you,  go  out  into  the  open  streets 
and  say,  ‘The  very  dust  of  your  town  that  sticks  to  our  feet 
we  wipe  off  in  protest.  But  understand  this:  the  Kingdom 
of  God  is  at  hand!’  I  tell  you,  on  that  Day  Sodom  will  fare 
better  than  that  town!  Alas  for  you,  Chorazin!  Alas  for 
you,  Bethsaida!  For  if  the  wonders  that  have  been  done  in 
you  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have 
repented  long  ago,  sitting  in  sackcloth  and  ashes!  But  Tyre 
and  Sidon  will  fare  better  than  you  at  the  Judgment!  And 
you,  Capernaum!  Are  you  to  be  exalted  to  the  skies? 
You  will  go  down  among  the  dead!  Whoever  listens  to  you 
listens  to  me,  and  whoever  disregards  you  disregards  me, 
and  whoever  disregards  me  disregards  him  who  sent  me.” 

The  seventy-two  came  back  delighted,  and  said, 

“  Master,  when  we  use  your  name  the  very  demons  submit 
to  us!” 

He  said  to  them, 

“I  saw  Satan  fall  from  heaven  like  a  flash  of  lightning! 
Here  I  have  given  you  the  power  to  tread  on  snakes  and  scor¬ 
pions,  and  to  trample  on  all  the  power  of  the  enemy.  Nothing 
will  hurt  you  at  all.  But  do  not  be  glad  that  the  spirits  submit 
to  you,  but  be  glad  that  your  names  are  enrolled  in  heaven.” 


10 :  i-2o 


1 36 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


At  that  moment  he  was  inspired  with  joy,  and  said, 

“I  thank  you,  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  for 
hiding  all  this  from  the  learned  and  intelligent,  and  revealing 
it  to  children !  Yes,  I  thank  you,  Father,  for  choosing  to  have 
it  so!  Everything  has  been  handed  over  to  me  by  my 
Father,  and  no  one  knows  who  the  Son  is  but  the  Father, 
nor  who  the  Father  is  but  the  Son,  and  anyone  to  whom  the 
Son  chooses  to  reveal  him.” 

And  he  turned  to  his  disciples  when  they  were  alone, 
and  said, 

“Blessed  are  the  eyes  that  see  what  you  see!  For  I  tell 
you,  many  prophets  and  kings  have  wished  to  see  what  you  see, 
and  could  not  see  it,  and  to  hear  what  you  hear,  and  could 
not  hear  it!” 

Then  an  expert  in  the  Law  got  up  to  test  him  and  said, 

“Master,  what  must  I  do  to  make  sure  of  eternal  life  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“What  does  the  Law  say  ?  How  does  it  read  ?” 

He  answered, 

“‘You  must  love  the  Lord  your  God  with  your  whole 
heart,  your  whole  soul,  your  whole  strength,  and  your  whole 
mind,’  and  ‘your  neighbor  as  you  do  yourself.’  ” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“You  are  right.  Do  that,  and  you  will  live.” 

But  he,  wishing  to  justify  his  question,  said, 

“And  who  is  my  neighbor  ?” 

Jesus  replied, 

“A  man  was  on  his  way  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho, 
when  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  robbers,  and  they  stripped  him 
and  beat  him  and  went  off  leaving  him  half  dead.  Now  a 
priest  happened  to  be  going  that  way,  and  when  he  saw  him, 
he  went  by  on  the  other  side  of  the  road.  And  a  Levite  also 
came  to  the  place,  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  went  by  on  the 
other  side.  But  a  Samaritan  who  was  traveling  that  way 
came  upon  him,  and  when  he  saw  him  he  pitied  him,  and  he 
went  up  to  him  and  dressed  his  wounds  with  oil  and  wine 
and  bound  them  up.  And  he  put  him  on  his  own  mule  and 
brought  him  to  an  inn  and  took  care  of  him.  The  next  day  he 
took  out  a  dollar  and  gave  it  to  the  innkeeper  and  said,  ‘Take 

10:21-35 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


*37 


care  of  him,  and  whatever  more  you  spend  I  will  refund  to  you 
on  my  way  back.’  Which  of  these  three  do  you  think  proved 
himself  a  neighbor  to  the  man  who  fell  into  the  robbers’ 
hands  ?” 

He  said, 

“The  man  who  took  pity  on  him.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Go  and  do  so  yourself!” 

As  they  continued  their  journey,  he  came  to  a  certain 
village,  and  a  woman  named  Martha  welcomed  him  to  her 
house.  She  had  a  sister  named  Mary,  who  seated  herself 
at  the  Master’s  feet,  and  listened  to  what  he  was  saying.  But 
Martha  was  worried  with  all  she  had  to  do  for  them,  and  she 
came  up  and  said, 

“Master,  does  it  make  no  difference  to  you  that  my  sister 
has  left  me  to  do  all  the  work  alone  ?  Tell  her  to  help  me.” 

The  Master  answered, 

“Martha,  Martha,  you  are  worried  and  anxious  about 
many  things,  but  our  wants  are  few,  indeed  there  is  only 
one  thing  we  need.  For  Mary  has  chosen  the  right  thing, 
and  it  must  not  be  taken  away  from  her.” 

Once  as  he  was  praying  in  a  certain  place,  when  he 
stopped,  one  of  his  disciples  said  to  him, 

“Master,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John  taught  his  disciples.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“When  you  pray,  say,  ‘Father,  your  name  be  revered! 
Your  kingdom  come!  Give  us  each  day  our  bread  for  the 
day,  and  forgive  us  our  sins,  for  we  ourselves  forgive  anyone 
who  wrongs  us;  and  do  not  subject  us  to  temptation.’  ” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“Suppose  one  of  you  has  a  friend,  and  goes  to  him  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  and  says  to  him,  ‘Friend,  lend  me  three 
loaves,  for  a  friend  of  mine  has  just  come  to  my  house  after  a 
journey,  and  I  have  nothing  for  him  to  eat,’  and  he  answers 
from  inside,  ‘Do  not  bother  me;  the  door  is  now  fastened, 
and  my  children  and  I  have  gone  to  bed;  I  cannot  get  up 
and  give  you  any.’  I  tell  you,  even  if  he  will  not  get  up  and 
give  him  some  because  he  is  his  friend,  yet  because  of  his 
persistence  he  will  rouse  himself  and  give  him  all  he  needs. 

10:36-11:8 


1 38 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


So  I  tell  you,  ask,  and  what  you  ask  will  be  given  you. 
Search,  and  you  will  find  what  you  search  for.  Knock, 
and  the  door  will  open  to  you.  For  it  is  always  the  one  who 
asks  who  receives,  and  the  one  who  searches  who  finds,  and 
the  one  who  knocks  to  whom  the  door  opens.  Which  of 
you  fathers,  if  his  son  asks  him  for  a  fish  will  give  him  a 
snake  instead  ?  Or  if  he  asks  for  an  egg,  will  give  him  a 
scorpion  ?  So  if  you,  bad  as  you  are,  know  enough  to  give 
your  children  what  is  good,  how  much  more  surely  will  your 
Father  in  heaven  give  the  holy  Spirit  to  those  who  ask  him 
for  it!” 

Once  he  was  driving  out  a  dumb  demon,  and  when  the 
demon  was  gone  the  dumb  man  spoke.  And  the  people  were 
amazed.  But  some  of  them  said, 

“  It  is  with  the  aid  of  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  demons, 
that  he  drives  the  demons  out.” 

Others  to  test  him  asked  him  for  a  sign  from  heaven. 
But  he  knew  what  they  were  thinking,  and  he  said  to 
them, 

“Any  kingdom  that  is  disunited  is  on  the  way  to  destruc¬ 
tion,  and  one  house  falls  after  another.  And  if  Satan  is 
disunited,  how  can  his  kingdom  last  ?  Because  you  say  that 
I  drive  out  demons  with  Beelzebub’s  aid.  But  if  it  is  with 
his  aid  that  I  drive  out  demons,  by  whose  do  your  sons  drive 
them  out  ?  Therefore,  they  shall  be  your  judges.  But  if  it 
is  with  the  finger  of  God  that  I  am  driving  the  demons  out, 
then  the  Kingdom  of  God  has  overtaken  you.  When  a  strong 
man  fully  armed  guards  his  own  dwelling,  his  property  is 
undisturbed.  But  when  somebody  stronger  than  he  attacks 
him  and  overcomes  him,  he  strips  him  of  the  arms  that  he 
relied  on,  and  divides  up  the  spoils.  Anyone  who  is  not  with 
me  is  against  me,  and  anyone  who  does  not  join  me  in  gather¬ 
ing,  scatters.  When  a  foul  spirit  goes  out  of  a  man,  it 
roams  through  deserts  in  search  of  rest,  and  when  it  finds 
none,  it  says,  ‘I  will  go  back  to  my  house  that  I  left.’  And 
it  goes  and  finds  it  unoccupied,  cleaned,  and  all  in  order. 
Then  it  goes  and  gets  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than 
itself,  and  they  go  in  and  live  there,  and  in  the  end  the  man 
is  worse  off  than  he  was  before.” 

1 1 : 9-26 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


l39 


As  he  said  this,  a  woman  in  the  crowd  raised  her  voice 
and  said  to  him, 

“Blessed  is  the  mother  who  bore  you  and  nursed  you!” 

But  he  said, 

“You  might  better  say,  ‘Blessed  are  those  who  hear 
God’s  message  and  observe  it!’  ” 

As  the  crowds  pressed  around  him,  he  went  on  to  say, 

“This  is  a  wicked  age!  It  demands  a  sign,  and  no  sign 
will  be  given  it  but  the  sign  of  Jonah.  For  just  as  Jonah 
became  a  sign  to  the  people  of  Nineveh,  so  the  Son  of  Man 
will  be  a  sign  to  this  age.  The  queen  of  the  south  will  rise 
with  the  men  of  this  generation  at  the  Judgment  and  will 
condemn  them,  for  she  came  from  the  very  ends  of  the  earth 
to  listen  to  Solomon’s  wisdom,  and  there  is  more  than  Solomon 
here!  Men  of  Nineveh  will  rise  with  this  generation  at  the 
Judgment  and  will  condemn  it,  for  they  repented  at  Jonah’s 
preaching,  and  there  is  more  than  Jonah  here.  No  one  lights 
a  lamp  and  puts  it  in  the  cellar  or  under  a  peck  measure; 
he  puts  it  on  its  stand,  so  that  people  who  come  in  can  see  the 
light.  Your  eye  is  the  lamp  of  your  body.  When  your  eye 
is  sound,  your  whole  body  is  light,  but  when  it  is  unsound, 
your  body  is  dark.  So  take  care!  Your  very  light  may  be 
darkness!  If,  therefore,  your  whole  body  is  light  with  no 
darkness  in  it  at  all,  it  will  all  be  as  light  as  a  lamp  makes 
things  for  you  by  its  light.” 

When  he  said  this,  a  Pharisee  asked  him  to  lunch  with 
him,  and  he  went  to  his  house  and  took  his  place  at  table. 
The  Pharisee  noticed  that  he  did  not  wash  before  the  meal, 
and  he  was  surprised.  But  the  Master  said  to  him, 

“You  Pharisees  clean  the  outside  of  cups  and  dishes, 
but  inside  you  are  full  of  greed  and  wickedness.  You 
fools!  Did  not  the  Creator  of  the  outside  make*  the  inside 
too  ?  But  give  your  inmost  life  as  charity,  and  you  will 
immediately  find  everything  clean.  But  alas  for  you 
Pharisees!  For  you  pay  tithes  on  mint,  rue,  and  every 
tiny  herb,  and  disregard  justice  and  the  love  of  God.  But 
you  should  have  observed  these,  without  neglecting  the 
others.  Alas  for  you  Pharisees!  For  you  love  to  have  the 
front  seat  in  the  synagogues  and  to  be  saluted  with  respect 

11:27-43 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


1 40 

in  public  places.  Alas  for  you!  For  you  are  like  unmarked 
graves  which  men  tread  upon  without  knowing  it.” 

At  this,  one  of  the  experts  in  the  Law  said  to  him, 

“Master,  when  you  say  that,  you  affront  us  too.” 

But  he  said, 

“Yes,  alas  for  you  experts  in  the  Law  too!  For  you 
load  men  with  burdens  they  can  hardly  carry,  and  you  will 
not  touch  them  yourselves  with  a  single  finger.  Alas  for 
you!  For  you  build  monuments  for  the  prophets,  whom 
your  forefathers  killed.  So  you  testify  to  what  your  fathers 
did  and  approve  it,  for  they  killed  them  and  you  build  their 
monuments.  This  is  why  the  Wisdom  of  God  said,  ‘I  will 
send  prophets  and  apostles  to  them,  and  some  of  them  they 
will  kill  and  some  they  will  persecute’ — so  that  this  age  may 
be  charged  with  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets  that  has  been 
shed  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  from  the  blood  of  Abel 
to  the  blood  of  Zechariah,  who  perished  between  the  altar 
and  the  sanctuary.  Yes,  I  tell  you!  This  age  will  be 
charged  with  it  all!  Alas  for  you  experts  in  the  Law!  For 
you  have  taken  the  key  to  the  door  of  knowledge,  but  you 
have  not  entered  it  yourselves,  and  you  have  kept  out  those 
who  tried  to  enter.” 

After  he  left  the  house,  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  began 
to  watch  him  closely  and  to  try  to  draw  him  out  on  many 
subjects,  plotting  to  entrap  him  in  something  he  might  say. 

Meanwhile  as  the  people  gathered  in  thousands,  until ) 
they  actually  trod  on  one  another,  he  proceeded  to  say  to  his 
disciples  first  of  all, 

“  Beware  of  the  yeast  of  the  Pharisees,  that  is,  hypocrisy. 
There  is  nothing  covered  up  that  is  not  going  to  be  uncovered, 
nor  secret  that  is  not  going  to  be  known.  For  what  you  say 
in  the  darkness  will  be  heard  in  the  light,  and  what  you 
whisper  in  someone’s  ear,  behind  closed  doors,  will  be  pro¬ 
claimed  from  the  housetops.  I  tell  you,  who  are  my 
friends,  have  no  fear  of  those  who  kill  the  body,  and  after 
that  can  do  no  more.  I  will  show  you  whom  to  fear:  fear 
him  who,  after  killing  you,  has  power  to  hurl  you  into  the  pit. 
Yes,  fear  him,  I  tell  you.  Do  not  sparrows  sell  five  for  two 
cents  ?  And  yet  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  in  God’s  sight. 

11:44-12:6 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


141 

But  the  very  hairs  on  your  heads  are  all  counted!  You 
must  not  be  afraid;  you  are  worth  more  than  a  great  many 
sparrows!  I  tell  you,  everyone  who  will  acknowledge  me 
before  men,  the  Son  of  Man  will  acknowledge  before  the 
angels  of  God,  but  anyone  who  disowns  me  before  men  will 
be  disowned  before  the  angels  of  God.  And  anyone  who 
speaks  against  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  forgiven  for  it,  but  no 
one  who  reviles  the  holy  Spirit  will  be  forgiven.  When  they 
bring  you  before  the  synagogues  or  the  magistrates  or  the 
authorities,  you  must  have  no  anxiety  about  how  to  defend 
yourselves  or  what  to  say,  for  at  the  very  moment  the  holy 
Spirit  will  teach  you  what  you  ought  to  say.” 

Someone  in  the  crowd  said  to  him, 

“Master,  tell  my  brother  to  give  me  my  share  of  our 
inheritance.” 

But  he  said  to  him, 

“Who  made  me  a  judge  or  arbitrator  of  your  affairs  ?” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“Take  care!  You  must  be  on  your  guard  against  any 
form  of  greed,  for  a  man’s  life  does  not  belong  to  him,  no 
matter  how  rich  he  is.” 

And  he  told  them  this  story: 

“A  certain  rich  man’s  lands  yielded  heavily.  And  he 
said  to  himself,  ‘What  am  I  going  to  do,  for  I  have  nowhere 
to  store  my  crops  ?’  Then  he  said,  ‘This  is  what  I  will  do; 
I  will  tear  down  my  barns  and  build  larger  ones,  and  in  them 
I  will  store  all  my  grain  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say  to  my 
soul,  ‘  Soul,  you  have  great  wealth  stored  up  for  years  to  come. 
Now  take  your  ease;  eat,  drink,  and  enjoy  yourself.’  But 
God  said  to  him,  ‘You  fool!  This  very  night  your  soul  will  be 
demanded  of  you.  Then  who  will  have  all  you  have  pre¬ 
pared  ?’  That  is  the  way  with  the  man  who  lays  up  money 
for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  with  God.” 

And  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Therefore,  I  tell  you,  do  not  worry  about  life,  wondering 
what  you  will  have  to  eat,  or  about  your  body,  wondering 
what  you  will  have  to  wear.  Life  is  more  important  than 
food,  and  the  body  than  clothes.  Think  of  the  crows! 
They  do  not  sow  or  reap,  and  they  have  no  storehouses  or 

12:7-24 


142 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


barns,  and  God  feeds  them.  How  much  more  you  are  worth 
than  the  birds!  Which  of  you  with  all  his  worry  can  add  a 
single  hour  to  his  life  ?  So  if  you  cannot  do  the  least  good, 
why  should  you  worry  about  the  rest  ?  See  how  the  lilies 
grow.  They  do  not  toil  or  spin,  but,  I  tell  you,  even  Solomon 
in  all  his  splendor  was  never  dressed  like  one  of  them.  But 
if  God  so  dresses  the  wild  grass,  which  is  alive  today,  and  is 
thrown  into  the  furnace  tomorrow,  how  much  more  surely 
will  he  clothe  you,  who  have  so  little  faith  ?  So  you  must 
not  ask  what  you  are  to  have  to  eat  or  drink,  and  you  must 
not  be  anxious  about  it.  For  these  are  all  things  the  nations 
of  the  world  are  in  pursuit  of,  and  your  Father  knows  well 
that  you  need  them.  But  you  must  strive  to  find  his  kingdom, 
and  you  will  have  these  other  things  besides.  Do  not  be 
afraid,  little  flock,  for  your  Father  has  chosen  to  give  you  the 
kingdom.  Sell  what  belongs  to  you,  and  give  away  the 
money!  Get  yourselves  purses  that  will  never  wear  out, 
inexhaustible  riches  in  heaven,  where  thieves  cannot  get  near 
nor  moths  destroy.  For  wherever  your  treasure  is,  your 
heart  will  be  too.  You  must  be  ready  with  your  lamps 
burning,  like  men  waiting  for  their  master  to  come  home 
from  a  wedding,  so  that  when  he  comes  and  knocks,  they  can 
open  the  door  for  him  at  once.  Blessed  are  the  slaves  whom 
their  master  will  find  on  the  watch  when  he  comes.  I  tell 
you,  he  will  gird  up  his  robe  and  make  them  take  their 
places  at  table,  and  go  around  and  wait  on  them.  Whether  he 
comes  late  at  night  or  early  in  the  morning  and  finds  them 
on  the  watch,  they  are  blessed.  But  you  may  be  sure  of  this, 
that  if  the  master  of  the  house  had  known  what  time  the 
thief  was  coming,  he  would  have  been  on  the  watch,  and 
would  not  have  let  his  house  be  broken  into.  You  must  be 
ready  too,  for  the  Son  of  Man  is  coming  at  a  time  when  you 
do  not  expect  him.” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“  Master,  do  you  mean  this  figure  for  us,  or  is  it  for  every¬ 
body  ?” 

And  the  Master  said, 

“Who  then  will  be  the  faithful,  thoughtful  manager, 
whom  his  master  will  put  in  charge  of  his  household,  to 

12:25-42 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


H  3 


give  the  members  of  it  their  supplies  at  the  proper  time  ? 
Blessed  is  that  slave  if  his  master  when  he  returns  finds  him 
doing  it.  I  tell  you,  he  will  put  him  in  charge  of  all  his 
property.  But  if  the  slave  says  to  himself,  ‘My  master 
is  not  coming  back  for  a  long  time,’  and  begins  to  beat  the 
men  and  women  slaves  and  to  eat  and  drink  and  get  drunk, 
that  slave’s  master  will  come  back  some  day  when  he  does  not 
expect  him,  and  at  some  time  of  which  he  does  not  know,  and 
will  cut  him  in  two,  and  put  him  with  the  unbelievers.  The 
slave  who  knows  his  master’s  wishes,  but  does  not  get  ready  or 
act  upon  them,  will  be  severely  punished.  But  one  who 
does  wrong  without  knowing  them  will  be  lightly  punished. 
From  anyone  who  has  been  given  much,  much  will  be  required, 
and  of  the  man  to  whom  people  have  intrusted  much,  they  will 
demand  even  more.  I  have  come  to  bring  fire  down  to  the 
earth,  and  how  I  wish  it  were  kindled  already!  I  have  a 
baptism  to  undergo,  and  how  distressed  I  am  till  it  is  over! 
Do  you  think  I  have  come  to  bring  peace  to  the  earth  ? 
Not  peace,  I  tell  you,  but  discord!  For  from  now  on  if  there 
are  five  people  in  a  house  they  will  be  divided  three  against 
two  and  two  against  three.  Father  will  be  against  son,  and 
son  against  father,  mother  against  daughter  and  daughter 
against  mother,  mother-in-law  against  her  daughter-in-law 
and  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law.” 

And  he  said  to  the  crowds, 

“When  you  see  a  cloud  rise  in  the  west,  you  say  at  once, 
‘  It  is  going  to  rain,’  and  it  does.  And  when  you  see  the  south 
wind  blowing,  you  say,  ‘It  is  going  to  be  very  hot,’  and  it  is. 
You  hypocrites!  You  know  how  to  interpret  the  look  of  the 
earth  and  sky;  and  why  can  you  not  interpret  this  present 
time  ?  Why  do  you  not  decide  what  is  right  yourselves  ? 
For  when  you  are  going  before  the  magistrate  with  your 
opponent,  do  your  best  on  the  way  to  get  rid  of  him,  or  he  may 
hurry  you  off  to  the  judge  and  the  judge  hand  you  over  to  the 
constable  and  the  constable  throw  you  into  prison.  I  tell  you, 
you  will  never  get  out  again  until  you  have  paid  the  last  cent !” 

Just  then  some  people  came  up  to  bring  him  word  of  the 
Galileans  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled  with  that  of  their 
sacrifices.  And  he  answered, 


12:43-13:2 


r44 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Do  you  think,  because  this  happened  to  them,  that 
these  Galileans  were  worse  sinners  than  any  other  Galileans  ? 
No,  I  tell  you;  unless  you  repent,  you  will  all  perish  as  they 
did!  Or  those  eighteen  people  at  Siloam  who  were  killed 
when  the  tower  fell  upon  them — do  you  think  they  were 
worse  offenders  than  all  the  other  people  who  live  in 
Jerusalem  ?  No,  I  tell  you;  unless  you  repent,  you  will  all 
perish  as  they  did!” 

He  used  this  figure: 

“A  man  had  a  fig  tree  growing  in  his  garden,  and  he 
went  to  look  for  fruit  on  it,  and  could  not  find  any.  And  he 
said  to  the  gardener,  ‘  Here  I  have  come  three  years  to  look 
for  fruit  on  this  fig  tree,  without  finding  any.  Cut  it  down. 
Why  should  it  waste  the  ground  ?’  He  answered,  ‘Let  it 
stand  this  one  year  more,  sir,  till  I  dig  around  it  and  manure  it; 
perhaps  it  will  bear  fruit  next  year.  But  if  it  does  not,  you  can 
have  it  cut  down.’  ” 

One  Sabbath  he  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues, 
and  there  was  a  woman  there  who  for  eighteen  years  had  had 
a  sickness  caused  by  a  spirit.  She  was  bent  double  and  could 
not  straighten  herself  up  at  all.  When  Jesus  saw  her  he 
called  to  her, 

“You  are  freed  from  your  sickness!” 

And  he  laid  his  hands  on  her,  and  she  instantly  became 
erect,  and  praised  God.  But  the  leader  of  the  synagogue, 
in  his  vexation  because  Jesus  had  cured  her  on  the  Sabbath, 
spoke  out  and  said  to  the  crowd, 

“There  are  six  days  on  which  it  is  right  to  work.  Come 
on  them  and  be  cured,  but  not  on  the  Sabbath  day.” 

But  the  Master  answered, 

“You  hypocrites!  Does  not  every  one  of  you  untie  his 
ox  or  his  donkey  from  the  stall  on  the  Sabbath  and  lead  him 
away  to  water  him  ?  And  did  not  this  woman,  who  is  a 
descendant  of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  has  kept  bound  for 
eighteen  years,  have  to  be  released  from  those  bonds  on  the 
Sabbath  day  ?” 

When  he  said  this,  all  his  opponents  were  humiliated,  and  all 
the  people  were  delighted  at  all  the  splendid  things  that  he  did. 

He  said,  therefore, 

13:3-18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


H5 


“What  is  the  Kingdom  of  God  like,  and  to  what  can  I 
compare  it  ?  It  is  like  a  mustard  seed  that  a  man  took  and 
dropped  in  his  garden,  and  it  grew  and  became  a  tree,  and 
the  wild  birds  roosted  on  its  branches.” 

And  he  went  on, 

“To  what  can  I  compare  the  Kingdom  of  God  ?  It  is 
like  yeast  that  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  a  bushel  of  flour, 
till  it  all  rose.” 

So  he  went  about  among  the  towns  and  villages,  teaching 
and  making  his  way  toward  Jerusalem.  And  someone  said 
to  him, 

“Are  only  a  few  to  be  saved,  Master  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“You  must  strain  every  nerve  to  get  in  through  the 
narrow  door,  for  I  tell  you  many  will  try  to  get  in,  and  will 
not  succeed,  when  the  master  of  the  house  gets  up  and  shuts 
the  door,  and  you  begin  to  stand  outside  and  to  knock  on  the 
door,  and  say,  ‘Open  it  for  us,  sir!  Then  he  will  answer  you 
and  say,  *1  do  not  know  where  you  come  from/  Then  you 
will  go  on  to  say,  ‘We  have  been  entertained  with  you,  and 
you  have  taught  in  our  streets!’  And  he  will  say  to  you, 
‘I  do  not  know  where  you  come  from.  Get  away  from  me, 
all  you  wrongdoers/  There  you  will  weep  and  gnash  your 
teeth  when  you  see  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  and  all 
the  prophets  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  while  you  are  put 
outside.  People  will  come  from  the  east  and  west  and  the 
north  and  south,  and  take  their  places  in  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  There  are  those  now  last  who  will  then  be  first,  and 
there  are  those  now  first  who  will  be  last.” 

Just  then  some  Pharisees  came  up  and  said  to  him, 

“  Go !  Get  away  from  here,  for  Herod  wants  to  kill  you !” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Go  and  say  to  that  fox,  ‘Here  I  am,  driving  out  demons 
and  performing  cures,  today  and  tomorrow,  and  on  the  third 
day  I  will  be  through.  But  I  must  go  on  today  and  tomorrow 
and  the  next  day,  for  it  is  not  right  for  a  prophet  to  die 
outside  Jerusalem.’  O  Jerusalem!  Jerusalem!  murdering 
the  prophets,  and  stoning  those  who  are  sent  to  her,  how 
often  I  have  longed  to  gather  your  children  around  me,  as  a 


13:19-34 


14  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


hen  gathers  her  brood  under  her  wings,  but  you  refused !  Now 
I  leave  you  to  yourselves.  And  I  tell  you,  you  will  never 
see  me  again  until  you  say,  ‘Blessed  be  he  who  comes  in  the 
Lord’s  name!’  ” 

One  Sabbath,  when  he  went  to  take  a  meal  at  the  house 
of  a  member  of  the  council  who  was  a  Pharisee,  they  were 
watching  him  closely.  There  was  a  man  in  front  of  him 
who  had  dropsy.  And  Jesus  said  to  the  Pharisees  and  the 
experts  in  the  Law, 

“Is  it  right  to  cure  people  on  the  Sabbath  or  not  ?” 

But  they  made  no  answer.  And  he  took  hold  of  the  man 
and  cured  him  and  sent  him  away.  Then  he  said  to  them, 

“Who  among  you,  if  his  child  or  his  ox  falls  into  a  well, 
will  not  pull  him  out  at  once  on  the  Sabbath  ?”  And  they 
could  make  no  reply  to  this. 

He  noticed  that  the  guests  picked  out  the  best  places, 
and  he  gave  them  this  illustration: 

“When  someone  invites  you  to  a  wedding  supper,  do  not 
take  the  best  place,  for  someone  more  distinguished  than  you 
are  may  have  been  invited,  and  your  host  will  come  and  say 
to  you  ‘Make  room  for  this  man/  and  then  you  will  proceed 
in  confusion  to  take  the  poorest  place.  But  when  you  are 
invited  anywhere,  go  and  take  the  poorest  place,  so  that 
when  your  host  comes  in,  he  will  say  to  you,  ‘My  friend,  come 
to  a  better  place.’  So  you  will  be  shown  consideration  before 
all  the  other  guests.  For  everyone  who  exalts  himself  will  be 
humbled,  but  the  man  who  humbles  himself  will  be  exalted.” 

And  he  said  to  the  man  who  had  invited  him, 

“When  you  give  a  luncheon  or  a  dinner,  do  not  invite 
your  friends  or  your  brothers  or  your  relatives  or  your  rich 
neighbors,  for  then  they  will  invite  you  in  return  and  you 
will  be  repaid.  But  when  you  give  an  entertainment,  invite 
people  who  are  poor,  maimed,  lame,  or  blind.  Then  you 
will  be  blessed,  because  they  cannot  repay  you;  for  you  will 
be  repaid  at  the  resurrection  of  the  upright.” 

One  of  the  other  guests  heard  this,  and  said  to  him, 

“Blessed  is  the  man  who  shall  be  at  the  banquet  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God!” 

He  said  to  him, 

13:35-14:16 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE  147 


“A  man  once  gave  a  great  dinner,  and  invited  a  large 
number  to  it,  and  when  the  dinner  hour  came,  he  sent  around 
his  slave,  to  say  to  those  who  were  invited,  ‘Come!  for  it  is 
now  ready !’  And  they  all  immediately  began  to  excuse  them¬ 
selves.  The  first  one  said  to  him,  ‘I  have  bought  a  piece  of 
land,  and  I  must  go  and  look  at  it.  Please  have  me  excused.’ 
Another  said,  ‘I  have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  am 
going  to  examine  them.  Please  have  me  excused.’  Another 
said,  ‘I  have  married,  and  so  I  cannot  come.’  So  the  slave 
went  back,  and  reported  this  to  his  master.  Then  the  master 
of  the  house  was  angry  and  said  to  his  slave,  ‘Hurry  out  into 
the  streets  and  squares  of  the  city,  and  bring  the  poor,  the 
maimed,  the  blind,  and  the  lame  in  here!’  And  the  slave 
said,  ‘What  you  ordered,  sir,  has  been  done,  and  there  is 
still  room.’  And  the  master  said  to  the  slave,  ‘  Go  out  on  the 
roads,  and  among  the  hedges,  and  make  them  come  in,  so  that 
my  house  may  be  full.  For  I  tell  you  that  none  of  those 
men  who  were  invited  shall  have  any  of  my  dinner!’  ” 

There  were  great  crowds  accompanying  him,  and  once 
he  turned  and  said  to  them, 

“If  anyone  comes  to  me  without  hating  his  own  father 
and  mother  and  wife  and  children  and  brothers  and  sisters, 
and  his  very  life  too,  he  cannot  be  a  disciple  of  mine.  For 
no  one  who  does  not  take  up  his  own  cross  and  come  after  me 
can  be  a  disciple  of  mine.  What  man  among  you  if  he  wishes 
to  build  a  tower  does  not  first  sit  down  and  estimate  the  cost 
of  it,  to  see  whether  he  has  enough  to  complete  it  ?  Or  else 
when  he  has  laid  his  foundation  and  cannot  finish  the  building, 
everyone  who  sees  it  will  begin  to  ridicule  him,  and  say, 
‘This  man  started  to  erect  a  building,  and  could  not  finish 
it!’  Or  what  king,  if  he  is  going  to  meet  another  king  in 
battle,  does  not  sit  down  first  and  consider  whether  he  is 
able  with  ten  thousand  men  to  meet  the  other  who  is  coming 
against  him  with  twenty  thousand  ?  And  if  he  cannot,  while 
the  other  is  still  far  away,  he  sends  envoys  to  him  and  asks  on 
what  terms  he  will  make  peace.  In  just  that  way,  no  one  of 
you  who  does  not  say  goodbye  to  all  he  has  can  be  a  disciple  of 
mine.  Salt  is  good;  but  if  salt  loses  its  strength,  what  can 
it  be  seasoned  with  ?  It  is  fit  neither  for  the  ground  nor  the 

i4:i7-35 


148 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


manure  heap;  people  throw  it  away.  Let  him  who  has  ears 
to  hear  with,  listen!” 

All  the  tax-collectors  and  irreligious  people  were  crowding 
up  to  hear  him.  And  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  grumbled, 
and  said, 

“This  man  welcomes  irreligious  people,  and  even  eats 
with  them!” 

So  in  speaking  to  them  he  used  this  figure: 

“What  man  among  you,  if  he  has  a  hundred  sheep,  and 
loses  one  of  them,  does  not  leave  the  ninety-nine  in  the 
wilderness,  and  go  in  search  of  the  one  that  is  lost,  until  he 
finds  it  ?  And  when  he  finds  it,  he  puts  it  on  his  shoulders 
with  joy,  and  when  he  reaches  home,  he  calls  in  his  friends 
and  neighbors,  and  says  to  them,  ‘  Congratulate  me,  for  I  have 
found  my  lost  sheep!’  I  tell  you,  in  just  that  way  there  will 
be  more  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinful  person  who  repents, 
than  over  ninety-nine  upright  people  who  do  not  need  any 
repentance.  Or  what  woman  who  has  ten  silver  coins  and 
loses  one,  does  not  light  the  lamp  and  sweep  the  house  and  look 
carefully  until  she  finds  it  ?  And  when  she  finds  it,  she  calls 
in  her  friends  and  neighbors,  and  says  to  them,  ‘Congratulate 
me,  for  I  have  found  the  coin  that  I  lost!’  In  just  that  way, 
I  tell  you,  there  is  joy  among  the  angels  of  God  over  one 
sinful  person  who  repents!” 

And  he  said, 

“A  man  had  two  sons.  The  younger  of  them  said  to  his 
father,  ‘Father,  give  me  my  share  of  the  property.’  So  he 
divided  his  property  between  them.  Not  many  days  later, 
the  younger  son  gathered  up  all  he  had,  and  went  away  to  a 
distant  country,  and  there  he  squandered  his  property  by 
fast  living.  After  he  had  spent  it  all,  a  severe  famine  arose 
in  that  country,  and  he  began  to  be  in  want.  And  he  went 
and  hired  himself  out  to  a  resident  of  the  country,  and  he 
sent  him  into  his  fields  to  tend  pigs.  And  he  was  ready  to  fill 
himself  with  the  pods  the  pigs  were  eating,  and  no  one  would 
give  him  anything.  When  he  came  to  himself  he  said, 
‘How  many  hired  men  my  father  has,  who  have  more  than 
enough  to  eat,  and  here  I  am,  dying  of  hunger!  I  will  get  up, 
and  go  to  my  father,  and  say  to  him,  “Father,  I  have  sinned 

15:1-18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


149 


against  heaven  and  in  your  eyes;  I  no  longer  deserve  to  be 
called  your  son;  treat  me  like  one  of  your  hired  men !”  *  And 
he  got  up  and  went  to  his  father.  But  while  he  was  still  a 
long  way  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  pitied  him,  and  ran 
and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  His  son  said  to  him, 
‘Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in  your  eyes; 
I  no  longer  deserve  to  be  called  your  son;  treat  me  like  one 
of  your  hired  men!’  But  his  father  said  to  his  slaves,  ‘Make 
haste  and  get  out  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him,  and  put  a 
ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet;  and  get  the  calf  we 
are  fattening,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  feast  and  celebrate, 
for  my  son  here  was  dead,  and  he  has  come  to  life;  he  was  lost, 
and  he  is  found!’  So  they  began  to  celebrate.  But  his  elder 
son  was  in  the  field.  When  he  came  in  and  approached  the 
house,  he  heard  music  and  dancing,  and  he  called  one  of  the 
servants  to  him  and  asked  him  what  it  meant.  He  said  to 
him,  ‘Your  brother  has  come,  and  your  father  has  killed  the 
calf  he  has  been  fattening,  because  he  has  gotten  him  back 
alive  and  well.’  But  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go  into  the 
house.  And  his  father  came  out  and  urged  him.  And  he 
said  to  his  father,  ‘Here  I  have  served  you  all  these  years, 
and  have  never  disobeyed  an  order  of  yours,  and  you  have 
never  given  me  a  kid,  so  that  I  could  entertain  my  friends. 
But  when  your  son  here  came,  who  has  eaten  up  your  property 
with  women  of  the  street,  for  him  you  killed  the  calf  you  have 
been  fattening !’  But  he  said  to  him,  ‘  My  child,  you  have  been 
with  me  all  the  time,  and  everything  I  have  is  yours.  But  we 
had  to  celebrate  and  be  glad,  because  your  brother  was 
dead,  and  has  come  to  life,  and  was  lost  and  is  found!’  ” 

And  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“There  was  a  rich  man  who  had  a  manager,  and  it  was 
reported  to  him  that  this  man  was  squandering  his  property. 
So  he  called  him  in  and  said  to  him,  ‘What  is  this  that  I  hear 
about  you  ?  Make  an  accounting  for  your  conduct  of  my 
affairs,  for  you  cannot  be  manager  any  longer!’  Then  the 
manager  said  to  himself,  ‘What  am  I  going  to  do,  because 
my  master  is  going  to  take  my  position  away  from  me  ?  I 
cannot  dig;  I  am  ashamed  to  beg.  I  know  what  I  will  do, 
so  that  when  I  am  removed  from  my  position  people  will 

15:19-16:4 


150 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


take  me  into  their  homes.’  Then  he  called  in  each  of  his 
master’s  debtors,  and  he  said  to  the  first  one,  ‘How  much 
do  you  owe  my  master  ?’  He  said,  ‘Eight  hundred  gallons  of 
oil.’  And  he  said  to  him,  ‘Here  is  your  agreement;  sit  right 
down  and  write  four  hundred!’  Then  he  said  to  another, 
‘  And  how  much  do  you  owe  ?’  He  answered,  ‘Fifteen  hundred 
bushels  of  wheat.’  He  said  to  him,  ‘Here  is  your  agreement; 
write  twelve  hundred.’  And  his  master  praised  the  dishonest 
manager,  because  he  had  acted  shrewdly.  For  the  sons  of 
this  age  are  shrewder  in  their  relation  to  their  own  age  than 
the  sons  of  the  light.  So  I  tell  you,  make  friends  for  your¬ 
selves  with  your  ill-gotten  wealth,  so  that  when  it  fails,  they 
may  take  you  into  the  eternal  dwellings.  The  man  who  can 
be  trusted  in  a  very  small  matter  can  be  trusted  in  a  large  one, 
and  the  man  who  cannot  be  trusted  in  a  very  small  matter 
cannot  be  trusted  in  a  large  one.  So  if  you  have  proved 
untrustworthy  in  using  your  ill-gotten  wealth,  who  will  trust 
you  with  true  riches  ?  And  if  you  have  been  untrustworthy 
about  what  belonged  to  someone  else,  who  will  give  you  what 
belongs  to  you  ?  No  servant  can  belong  to  two  masters, 
for  he  will  either  hate  one  and  love  the  other,  or  he  will  stand 
by  one  and  make  light  of  the  other.  You  cannot  serve 
God  and  money!” 

The  Pharisees,  who  were  avaricious,  heard  all  this,  and 
they  ridiculed  him.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“You  are  the  men  who  parade  your  uprightness  before 
people,  but  God  knows  your  hearts.  For  what  men  consider 
great  is  detestable  in  the  sight  of  God.  Until  John  came,  it 
was  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  From  that  time  the  King¬ 
dom  of  God  has  been  proclaimed,  and  everyone  has  been 
crowding  into  it.  But  it  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass 
away  than  for  one  dotting  of  an  i  in  the  Law  to  go  unfulfilled. 
Anyone  who  divorces  his  wife  and  marries  another  woman 
commits  adultery,  and  whoever  marries  a  woman  who  has 
been  divorced  from  her  husband  commits  adultery. 

“There  was  once  a  rich  man,  who  used  to  dress  in  purple 
and  fine  linen,  and  to  live  in  luxury  every  day.  And  a 
beggar  named  Lazarus  was  put  down  at  his  gate  covered  with 
sores  and  eager  to  satisfy  his  hunger  with  what  was  thrown 

16: 5-21 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


1SI 

away  from  the  rich  man’s  table.  Why,  the  very  dogs  came 
and  licked  his  sores.  And  it  came  about  that  the  beggar 
died  and  was  carried  away  by  the  angels  to  the  companionship 
of  Abraham,  and  the  rich  man  too  died  and  was  buried. 
And  in  Hades  he  looked  up,  tormented  as  he  was,  and  saw 
Abraham  far  away,  with  Lazarus  beside  him.  And  he  called 
to  him  and  said,  ‘  Father  Abraham  !  take  pity  on  me,  and  send 
Lazarus  to  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and  cool  my 
tongue,  for  I  am  in  torment,  here  in  the  flames!’  And 
Abraham  said,  ‘My  child,  remember  that  you  received  your 
blessings  in  your  lifetime,  and  Lazarus  had  his  misfortunes 
in  his;  and  now  he  is  being  comforted  here,  while  you  are  in 
anguish.  Besides  there  is  a  great  chasm  set  between  you 
and  us,  so  that  those  who  want  to  go  over  from  this  side  to  you 
cannot,  and  they  cannot  cross  from  your  side  to  us.*  And  he 
said,  ‘Then  I  beg  you,  father,  to  send  him  to  my  father’s 
house,  for  I  have  five  brothers;  let  him  warn  them  so  that 
they  will  not  also  come  to  this  place  of  torture.’  Abraham 
answered,  ‘They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them 
listen  to  them.’  But  he  said,  ‘No!  Father  Abraham,  but 
if  someone  will  go  to  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent!’ 
He  answered,  ‘If  they  will  not  listen  to  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  they  will  not  be  convinced  even  if  someone  rises 
from  the  dead !’  ” 

And  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“It  is  inevitable  that  hindrances  should  arise,  but  alas  for 
the  man  who  causes  them !  He  might  better  have  a  millstone 
hung  around  his  neck,  and  be  thrown  into  the  sea,  than  be  a 
hindrance  to  one  of  these  humble  people.  Look  out  for 
yourselves!  If  your  brother  wrongs  you,  take  it  up  with 
him,  and  if  he  repents,  forgive  him.  And  if  he  wrongs  you 
seven  times  a  day,  and  seven  times  turns  to  you  and  says, 
‘I  am  sorry,’  you  must  forgive  him.” 

The  apostles  said  to  the  Master 

“Give  us  more  faith.” 

And  the  Master  said, 

“If  your  faith  is  as  big  as  a  mustard  seed,  you  might 
have  said  to  this  mulberry  tree,  ‘Be  pulled  up  by  the  roots 
and  planted  in  the  sea,’  and  it  would  have  obeyed  you! 

16:22-17:6 


I52 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“What  man  among  you,  if  he  has  a  servant  ploughing  or 
keeping  sheep,  will  say  to  him  when  he  comes  in  from  the 
field,  ‘Come  at  once  and  sit  down  at  the  table,’  instead  of 
saying  to  him,  ‘Get  my  supper  ready,  and  dress  yourself, 
and  wait  on  me  while  I  eat  and  drink,  and  you  can  eat  and 
drink  afterward  ’  ?  Is  he  grateful  to  the  slave  for  doing  what 
he  has  been  ordered  to  do  ?  So  you  also,  when  you  do  all  you 
have  been  ordered  to  do,  must  say,  ‘We  are  good-for-nothing 
slaves!  We  have  done  only  what  we  ought  to  have  done!’  ” 
It  happened  that,  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  he  passed 
through  Samaria  and  Galilee.  And  as  he  was  going  into 
one  village  he  met  ten  lepers,  and  they  stood  at  some  dis¬ 
tance  from  him,  and  raising  their  voices,  said, 

“Jesus,  Master,  take  pity  on  us!” 

And  when  he  saw  them,  he  said  to  them, 

“Go  and  show  yourselves  to  the  priests.” 

And  as  they  went  they  were  cured.  But  one  of  them, 
when  he  saw  that  he  was  cured,  came  back,  loudly  praising 
God,  and  fell  on  his  face  at  Jesus’  feet,  and  thanked  him. 
He  was  a  Samaritan.  And  Jesus  said, 

“Were  not  all  ten  cured  ?  Where  are  the  other  nine  ? 
Was  no  one  found  to  return  and  give  thanks  to  God  except 
this  foreigner  ?” 

And  he  said  to  him, 

“Stand  up  and  go!  Your  faith  has  cured  you.” 

He  was  once  asked  by  the  Pharisees  when  the  Kingdom 
of  God  would  come,  and  he  answered, 

“The  Kingdom  of  God  is  not  coming  visibly,  and  people 
will  not  say,  ‘Look!  Here  it  is!’  or  ‘There  it  is!’  for  the 
Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.” 

And  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“The  time  will  come  when  you  will  long  to  see  one  of  the 
days  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  you  will  not  be  able  to  do  so. 
Men  will  say  to  you,  ‘Look!  There  he  is!’  or,  ‘Look!  Here 
he  is!’  Do  not  go  off  in  pursuit  of  him,  for  just  as  when  the 
lightning  flashes,  it  shines  from  one  end  of  the  sky  to  the 
other,  that  will  be  the  way  with  the  Son  of  Man.  But  first  he 
must  go  through  much  suffering,  and  be  refused  by  this  age. 
In  the  time  of  the  Son  of  Man  it  will  be  just  as  it  was  in  the 

17:7-26 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


*53 


time  of  Noah.  People  went  on  eating,  drinking,  marrying, 
and  being  married  up  to  the  very  day  that  Noah  got  into  the 
ark  and  the  flood  came  and  destroyed  them  all.  Or  as  it  was 
in  Lot’s  time;  they  went  on  eating,  drinking,  buying,  selling, 
planting,  and  building,  but  the  day  Lot  left  Sodom,  it  rained 
fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven  and  destroyed  them  all.  It 
will  be  like  that  on  the  day  when  the  Son  of  Man  appears. 
A  man  who  is  on  the  roof  of  his  house  that  day,  with  his  goods 
in  the  house,  must  not  go  down  to  get  them,  and  a  man  in  the 
field,  too,  must  not  turn  back.  Remember  Lot’s  wife! 
Whoever  tries  to  preserve  his  life  will  lose  it,  and  whoever 
loses  his  life  will  preserve  it.  I  tell  you,  there  will  be  two  men 
in  the  same  bed  that  night;  one  will  be  taken  and  the  other 
left.  There  will  be  two  women  grinding  together;  one 
will  be  taken  and  the  other  left!” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Where  will  this  be,  Master  ?” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“Wherever  there  is  a  dead  body  the  vultures  will  flock!” 

He  gave  them  an  illustration  to  show  that  they  must 
always  pray  and  not  give  up,  and  he  said, 

“There  was  once  in  a  city  a  judge  who  had  no  fear  of  God 
and  no  respect  for  men.  There  was  a  widow  in  the  city  and 
she  came  to  him  and  said,  ‘Protect  me  from  my  opponent.’ 
And  he  would  not  for  a  time,  but  afterward  he  said  to  himself, 
‘Though  I  have  no  fear  of  God  nor  respect  for  men,  yet 
because  this  widow  bothers  me,  I  will  protect  her,  so  that  she 
may  not  finally  wear  me  out  with  her  coming.’  ” 

And  the  Master  said, 

“Listen  to  what  this  dishonest  judge  said!  Then  will 
not  God  provide  protection  for  his  chosen  people,  who  cry 
out  to  him  day  and  night  ?  I  tell  you,  he  will  make  haste  to 
provide  it!  But  when  the  Son  of  Man  comes,  will  he  find 
faith  on  earth  ?” 

To  some  who  were  confident  of  their  own  uprightness, 
and  thought  nothing  of  others,  he  used  this  illustration: 

“Two  men  went  up  to  the  Temple  to  pray;  one  was  a 
Pharisee  and  the  other  a  tax-collector.  The  Pharisee  stood 
up  and  uttered  this  prayer  to  himself:  ‘O  God,  I  thank  you 

17:27-18:11 


154 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


that  I  am  not  like  other  men,  greedy,  dishonest,  or  adulterous, 
like  that  tax-collector.  I  fast  two  days  in  the  week;  I  pay 
tithes  on  everything  I  get.’  But  the  tax-collector  stood  at  a 
distance  and  would  not  even  raise  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but 
struck  his  breast,  and  said,  ‘O  God,  have  mercy  on  a  sinner 
like  me!’  I  tell  you,  it  was  he  who  went  back  to  his  house 
with  God’s  approval,  and  not  the  other.  For  everyone  who 
exalts  himself  will  be  humbled,  but  the  man  who  humbles 
himself  will  be  exalted.” 

People  brought  babies  to  him  to  have  him  touch  them, 
but  the  disciples,  when  they  saw  it,  reproved  them  for  it. 
But  Jesus  called  them  up  to  him  and  said, 

“  Let  the  children  come  to  me  and  do  not  try  to  stop  them, 
for  the  Kingdom  of  God  belongs  to  such  as  they.  I  tell  you, 
whoever  does  not  accept  the  Kingdom  of  God  like  a  child  will 
not  enter  it  at  all.” 

A  member  of  the  council  asked  him, 

“Good  master,  what  must  I  do  to  make  sure  of  eternal 
life  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Why  do  you  call  me  good  ?  No  one  is  good  but  God 
himself.  You  know  the  commandments,  ‘Do  not  commit 
adultery,  Do  not  kill,  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false  witness, 
Honor  your  father  and  mother.’  ” 

And  he  said, 

“  I  have  obeyed  all  these  commandments  ever  since  I  was 
a  child.” 

When  Jesus  heard  this,  he  said  to  him, 

“There  is  one  thing  that  you  still  lack.  Sell  all  that 
you  have,  and  divide  the  money  among  the  poor,  and  then 
you  will  have  riches  in  heaven;  and  come  back  and  be  a 
follower  of  mine.” 

But  when  he  heard  that,  he  was  much  cast  down,  for 
he  was  very  rich.  And  when  Jesus  saw  it,  he  said, 

“How  hard  it  will  be  for  those  who  have  money  to  get 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God!  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  get 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle  than  for  a  rich  man  to  get  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God!” 

And  those  who  heard  it  said, 

18:12-26 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


:55 


“Then  who  can  be  saved  ?” 

And  he  said, 

“The  things  that  are  impossible  for  men  are  possible 
for  God!” 

Peter  said, 

“Here  we  have  left  home  and  followed  you.” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“I  tell  you,  there  is  no  one  who  has  given  up  home  or 
wife  or  brothers  or  parents  or  children  for  the  Kingdom  of 
God  who  will  not  receive  many  times  more  in  this  time,  and 
in  the  coming  age  eternal  life.” 

And  he  took  the  Twelve  aside  and  said  to  them, 

“See!  we  are  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  everything 
written  in  the  prophets  about  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  fulfilled. 
For  he  will  be  handed  over  to  the  heathen,  and  ridiculed  and 
insulted  and  spat  upon,  and  they  will  flog  him  and  kill  him, 
and  on  the  third  day  he  will  rise  again.” 

And  they  did  not  understand  any  of  this;  the  words 
were  obscure  to  them,  and  they  did  not  know  what  he  meant. 

As  he  approached  Jericho,  a  blind  man  happened  to  be 
sitting  by  the  roadside  begging.  And  hearing  a  crowd  going 
by,  he  asked  what  it  meant.  They  told  him  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  coming  by.  And  he  shouted, 

“Jesus,  you  Son  of  David,  take  pity  on  me!” 

And  those  who  were  in  front  reproved  him  and  told  him  to 
be  quiet,  but  he  cried  out  all  the  louder, 

“You  Son  of  David,  take  pity  on  me!” 

And  Jesus  stopped  and  ordered  the  man  to  be  brought  to 
him.  When  he  came  up,  Jesus  asked  him, 

“What  do  you  want  me  to  do  for  you  ?” 

He  answered, 

“Master,  let  me  regain  my  sight!” 

And  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Regain  your  sight!  Your  faith  has  cured  you!” 

And  he  regained  his  sight  immediately,  and  followed 
Jesus,  giving  thanks  to  God.  And  all  the  people  saw  it  and 
praised  God. 

And  he  went  into  Jericho  and  was  passing  through  it. 
Now  there  was  a  man  named  Zaccheus,  the  principal  tax- 

18:27-19:2 


156 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


collector,  a  rich  man,  who  wanted  to  see  who  Jesus  was,  and 
he  could  not  because  of  the  crowd,  for  he  was  a  small  man. 
So  he  ran  on  ahead  and  climbed  up  into  a  sycamore  tree,  to 
see  him,  for  Jesus  was  coming  that  way.  When  Jesus  reached 
the  place,  he  looked  up  and  said  to  him, 

“Zaccheus,  come  down  quickly!  for  I  must  stay  at  your 
house  today.” 

And  he  came  down  quickly  and  welcomed  him  gladly. 
And  when  they  saw  this,  everyone  complained,  and  said, 

“He  has  gone  to  stay  with  an  irreligious  man!” 

But  Zaccheus  stopped  and  said  to  the  Master, 

“See,  Master!  I  will  give  half  my  property  to  the  poor, 
and  if  I  have  defrauded  anyone  of  anything,  I  will  pay  him 
four  times  as  much.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Salvation  has  come  to  this  house  today,  for  he  too  is  a 
descendant  of  Abraham.  For  the  Son  of  Man  has  come  to 
search  for  what  was  lost  and  to  save  it.” 

As  they  were  listening  to  this,  Jesus  went  on  to  give  them 
an  illustration,  because  he  was  near  Jerusalem  and  they 
supposed  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  was  immediately  going  to 
appear.  So  he  said, 

“A  nobleman  once  went  to  a  distant  country  to  secure 
his  appointment  to  a  kingdom  and  then  return.  And  he 
called  in  ten  of  his  slaves  and  gave  them  each  twenty  dollars 
and  told  them  to  trade  with  it  while  he  was  gone.  But  his 
countrymen  hated  him,  and  they  sent  a  delegation  after  him 
to  say,  ‘We  do  not  want  this  man  made  king  over  us/  And 
when  he  had  secured  the  appointment  and  returned,  he 
ordered  the  slaves  to  whom  he  had  given  the  money  to  be 
called  in,  so  that  he  could  find  out  how  much  they  had  made. 
The  first  one  came  in  and  said,  ‘Your  twenty  dollars  has 
made  two  hundred,  sir!’  And  he  said  to  him,  ‘Well  done, 
my  excellent  slave!  You  have  proved  trustworthy  about  a 
very  small  amount,  you  shall  be  governor  of  ten  towns.’ 
The  second  came  in  and  said,  ‘Your  twenty  dollars  has  made 
a  hundred,  sir!’  And  he  said  to  him,  ‘And  you  shall  be 
governor  of  five  towns !’  And  the  other  one  came  in  and  said, 
‘Here  is  your  twenty  dollars,  sir.  I  have  kept  it  put  away 

19:3-20 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


T57 


in  a  handkerchief,  for  I  was  afraid  of  you,  for  you  are  a  stern 
man.  You  pick  up  what  you  did  not  lay  down,  and  reap 
what  you  did  not  sow.’  He  said  to  him,  ‘Out  of  your  own 
mouth  I  will  convict  you,  you  wretched  slave!  You  knew, 
did  you,  that  I  was  a  stern  man,  and  that  I  pick  up  what  I  did 
not  lay  down,  and  harvest  what  I  did  not  sow  ?  Then  why 
did  you  not  put  my  money  in  the  bank,  so  that  when  I  came 
back  I  could  have  gotten  it  with  interest  ?’  And  he  said  to 
the  bystanders,  ‘Take  the  twenty  dollars  away  from  him, 
and  give  it  to  the  man  who  has  the  two  hundred!’  They 
said  to  him,  ‘He  has  two  hundred,  sir!’ — ‘I  tell  you,  the  man 
who  has  will  have  more  given  him,  and  from  the  man  who  has 
nothing,  even  what  he  has  will  be  taken  away!  But  bring 
those  enemies  of  mine  here  who  did  not  want  me  made  king 
over  them,  and  slaughter  them  in  my  presence!’  ” 

With  these  words  he  went  on  ahead  of  them,  on  his  way 
to  Jerusalem. 

When  he  was  near  Bethphage  and  Bethany  by  the  hill 
called  the  Mount  of  Olives,  he  sent  two  of  his  disciples  and 
said  to  them, 

“Go  to  the  village  that  lies  in  front  of  you,  and  as  you 
enter  it  you  will  find  tied  there  a  colt  that  has  never  been 
ridden.  Untie  it  and  bring  it  here.  And  if  anyone  asks 
you  why  you  are  untying  it,  you  are  to  say,  ‘The  Master 
needs  it.’  ” 

And  the  messengers  went  and  found  it  just  as  he  had 
told  them.  And  as  they  were  untying  the  colt,  its  owners 
said  to  them, 

“Why  are  you  untying  the  colt  ?” 

And  they  said, 

“The  Master  needs  it!” 

And  they  brought  it  to  Jesus.  And  they  threw  their 
coats  on  the  colt  and  mounted  Jesus  on  it.  And  as  he  went 
on,  people  spread  their  coats  in  the  road.  Just  as  he  was 
coming  down  the  Mount  of  Olives  and  approaching  the  city, 
the  whole  throng  of  his  disciples  began  to  praise  God  loudly 
and  joyfully,  for  all  the  wonders  they  had  seen,  and  to  say, 

“Blessed  is  the  king  who  comes  in  the  Lord’s  name, 
Peace  be  in  heaven  and  glory  on  high!” 


19:21-38 


i58 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Some  Pharisees  in  the  crowd  said  to  him, 

“Master,  reprove  your  disciples!” 

And  he  answered, 

“I  tell  you,  if  they  keep  silence,  the  stones  will  cry  out!” 

As  he  approached  the  city  and  saw  it,  he  wept  over  it, 
and  said, 

“  If  you  yourself  only  knew  today  the  conditions  of  peace ! 
But  as  it  is,  they  are  hidden  from  you.  For  a  time  is  coming 
upon  you  when  your  enemies  will  throw  up  earthworks  about 
you  and  surround  you  and  shut  you  in  on  all  sides,  and  they 
will  throw  you  and  your  children  within  you  to  the  ground, 
and  they  will  not  leave  one  stone  upon  another  within  you 
because  you  did  not  know  when  God  visited  you!” 

Then  he  went  into  the  Temple  and  proceeded  to  drive 
out  those  who  were  selling  things  there,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“The  Scripture  says,  ‘And  my  house  shall  be  a  house  of 
prayer,’  but  you  have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers!” 

Every  day  he  taught  in  the  Temple,  and  the  high  priests 
and  scribes  and  the  leading  men  of  the  people  were  trying  to 
destroy  him,  but  they  could  not  find  any  way  to  do  it,  for  all 
the  people  hung  upon  his  words. 

One  day  as  he  was  teaching  the  people  in  the  Temple,  and 
preaching  the  good  news,  the  high  priests  and  scribes  came  up 
with  the  elders  and  said  to  him, 

“Tell  us  what  authority  you  have  for  doing  as  you  do, 
or  who  gave  you  any  such  authority  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“I  will  ask  you  a  question  too.  Tell  me,  did  John’s 
baptism  come  from  heaven  or  from  men  ?” 

And  they  argued  with  one  another,  and  said, 

“If  we  say  ‘From  heaven,’  he  will  say,  ‘Why  did  you  not 
believe  him  ?’  But  if  we  say,  ‘From  men,’  all  the  people 
will  stone  us  to  death,  for  they  are  convinced  that  John  was  a 
prophet.” 

So  they  answered  that  they  did  not  know  where  it  came 
from.  And  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Nor  will  I  tell  you  what  authority  I  have  for  doing  as 
I  do.” 

Then  he  went  on  to  give  the  people  this  illustration: 
19:39-20:9 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


*59 


“A  man  once  planted  a  vineyard,  and  leased  it  to  tenants, 
and  went  away  for  a  long  absence.  And  at  the  proper  time 
he  sent  a  slave  to  the  tenants  to  have  them  give  him  a  share 
of  the  vintage,  but  the  tenants  beat  him,  and  sent  him  back 
empty-handed.  And  again  he  sent  another  slave,  and  they 
beat  him  also  and  mistreated  him  and  sent  him  back  empty- 
handed.  And  again  he  sent  a  third,  but  they  wounded  him 
too,  and  threw  him  outside.  Then  the  owner  of  the  vine¬ 
yard  said,  ‘What  can  I  do  ?  I  will  send  them  my  dear  son; 
perhaps  they  will  respect  him.’  But  when  the  tenants  saw 
him,  they  argued  with  one  another,  ‘This  is  his  heir!  Let  us 
kill  him,  so  that  the  property  will  belong  to  us!’  So  they 
drove  him  out  of  the  vineyard  and  killed  him.  Now  what 
will  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  do  to  them  ?  He  will  come  and 
put  those  tenants  to  death,  and  give  the  vineyard  to  others.” 
When  they  heard  this  they  said, 

“Heaven  forbid!” 

He  looked  at  them  and  said, 

“Then  what  does  this  saying  of  Scripture  mean, 

“‘That  stone  which  the  builders  rejected 
Has  become  the  cornerstone  ’  ? 

Whoever  falls  on  that  stone  will  be  shattered,  but  whoever 
it  falls  upon  will  be  pulverized.” 

And  the  scribes  and  high  priests  wanted  to  arrest  him 
then  and  there,  but  they  were  afraid  of  the  people,  for  they 
knew  that  he  had  aimed  this  illustration  at  them.  So  they 
kept  watch  of  him  and  set  some  spies  who  pretended  to  be 
honest  men  to  fasten  on  something  that  he  said,  so  that  they 
might  hand  him  over  to  the  control  and  authority  of  the 
governor.  And  they  asked  him, 

“  Master,  we  know  that  you  are  right  in  what  you  say  and 
teach,  and  that  you  show  no  favor,  but  teach  the  way  of  God 
in  sincerity.  Is  it  right  for  us  to  pay  taxes  to  the  emperor, 
or  not  ?” 

But  he  detected  their  trickery,  and  said  to  them, 

“  Show  me  a  denarius.  Whose  head  and  title  does  it  bear  ?” 
They  said, 

“The  emperor’s.” 

He  said  to  them, 

20:10-25 


i6o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Then  pay  the  emperor  what  belongs  to  the  emperor, 
and  pay  God  what  belongs  to  God!” 

So  they  could  not  fasten  on  what  he  said  before  the 
people,  and  they  were  amazed  at  his  answer,  and  said  nothing 
more. 

Then  some  of  the  Sadducees,  who  say  that  there  is  no 
resurrection,  came  up  and  asked  him, 

“Master,  Moses  made  us  a  law  that  if  a  man’s  brother 
die  leaving  a  wife  but  no  children,  the  man  should  marry  the 
widow  and  raise  up  a  family  for  his  brother.  Now  there 
were  seven  brothers.  And  the  eldest  married  a  wife  and  died 
childless.  And  the  second  married  her,  and  the  third,  and  all 
the  seven  married  her  and  died  without  leaving  any  child. 
Afterward  the  woman  died  too.  Now  at  the  resurrection, 
which  one’s  wife  will  the  woman  be  ?  For  all  seven  of  them 
married  her.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“The  people  of  this  world  marry  and  are  married,  but 
those  who  are  thought  worthy  to  attain  that  other  world  and 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  married. 
For  they  cannot  die  again;  they  are  like  the  angels,  and 
through  sharing  in  the  resurrection,  they  are  sons  of  God. 
But  that  the  dead  are  raised  to  life,  even  Moses  indicated 
in  the  passage  about  the  bush,  when  he  calls  the  Lord  The 
God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.’ 
He  is  not  the  God  of  dead  men  but  of  living,  for  all  men  are 
alive  to  him.” 

Some  of  the  scribes  replied, 

“Master,  that  was  a  fine  answer!” 

For  they  did  not  dare  to  ask  him  any  more  questions. 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“How  can  the  scribes  say  that  the  Christ  is  a  son  of 
David  ?  For  David  himself  says  in  the  Book  of  Psalms, 
“‘The  Lord  has  said  to  my  lord,  “Sit  at  my  right  hand, 
Until  I  make  your  enemies  a  footstool  for  your  feet!”  ’ 
David  then  calls  him  lord.  So  how  can  he  be  his  son  ?” 

While  all  the  people  were  listening,  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“  Beware  of  the  scribes  who  like  to  go  about  in  long  robes, 
and  love  to  be  saluted  with  respect  in  public  places,  and  to 

20:26-46 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


161 


have  the  front  seats  in  the  synagogues  and  the  best  places  at 
banquets — men  who  eat  up  widows’  houses  and  to  cover  it 
up  make  long  prayers!  They  will  get  all  the  heavier 
sentence!” 

And  looking  up,  he  saw  the  rich  people  dropping  their 
gifts  into  the  treasury.  And  he  saw  a  poor  widow  drop  in  two 
coppers.  And  he  said, 

“  I  tell  you,  this  poor  widow  has  put  in  more  than  all 
the  rest.  For  they  all  gave  from  what  they  had  to  spare, 
but  she  in  her  want  has  put  in  all  she  had  to  live  on.” 

When  some  spoke  about  the  Temple  and  its  decoration 
with  costly  stone  and  votive  offerings,  he  said, 

“As  for  all  this  that  you  are  looking  at,  the  time  is 
coming  when  not  one  stone  will  be  left  here  upon  another 
that  will  not  be  torn  down!” 

Then  they  asked  him, 

“Master,  when  will  this  happen,  and  what  will  be  the  sign 
that  it  is  going  to  take  place  ?” 

And  he  said, 

“Take  care  not  to  be  misled.  For  many  will  come  under 
my  name,  and  say,  ‘ I  am  he,’  and  ‘The  time  is  at  hand.’  Do 
not  follow  them.  But  when  you  hear  of  wars  and  outbreaks, 
do  not  be  alarmed.  These  have  to  come  first,  but  the  end  does 
not  follow  immediately.” 

Then  he  said  to  them, 

“Nation  will  rise  in  arms  against  nation,  and  kingdom 
against  kingdom.  There  will  be  great  earthquakes,  and 
pestilence  and  famine  here  and  there.  There  will  be  horrors 
and  great  signs  in  the  sky.  But  before  all  this,  men  will 
arrest  you  and  persecute  you3  and  hand  you  over  to  syna¬ 
gogues  and  prisons  and  have  you  brought  before  kings  and 
governors  on  my  account.  It  will  all  lead  to  your  testifying. 
So  make  up  your  minds  not  to  prepare  your  defense, 
for  I  will  give  you  such  wisdom  of  utterance  as  none  of  your 
opponents  will  be  able  to  resist  or  dispute.  You  will  be 
betrayed  even  by  your  parents  and  brothers  and  kinsmen 
and  friends  and  they  will  put  some  of  you  to  death,  and  you 
will  be  hated  by  everyone  because  you  bear  my  name.  Yet 
not  a  hair  of  your  head  will  perish!  It  is  by  your  endurance 

20:47— 21 : 19 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


162 

that  you  will  win  your  souls.  But  when  you  see  Jerusalem 
being  surrounded  by  armies,  then  you  must  understand  that 
her  devastation  is  at  hand.  Then  those  who  are  in  Judea 
must  fly  to  the  hills,  those  who  are  in  the  city  must  get  out 
of  it,  and  those  who  are  in  the  country  must  not  go  into  it, 
for  those  are  the  days  of  vengeance,  when  all  that  is  written 
in  the  Scriptures  will  be  fulfilled.  But  alas  for  women  who  are 
with  child  at  that  time,  or  who  have  babes,  for  there  will  be 
great  misery  in  the  land  and  anger  at  this  people.  They  will 
fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  be  carried  off  as  prisoners 
among  all  nations,  and  Jerusalem  will  be  trampled  under  foot 
by  the  heathen,  until  the  time  of  the  heathen  comes.  There 
will  be  signs  too  in  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  and  on  earth  dismay 
among  the  heathen,  bewildered  at  the  roar  of  the  sea  and  the 
waves.  Men  will  swoon  with  fear  and  foreboding  of  what 
is  to  happen  to  the  world,  for  the  forces  in  the  sky  will  shake. 
Then  they  will  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  a  cloud  with 
great  power  and  glory.  But  when  this  begins  to  happen,  look 
up  and  raise  your  heads,  for  your  deliverance  will  be  at  hand.” 

And  he  gave  them  an  illustration: 

“See  the  fig  tree  and  all  the  trees.  As  soon  as  they  put 
out  their  leaves,  you  see  them  and  you  know  without  being 
told  that  summer  is  coming.  So  when  you  see  these  things 
happen,  you  must  know  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand. 
I  tell  you,  it  will  all  happen  before  the  present  generation 
passes  away.  Earth  and  sky  will  pass  away,  but  my  words 
will  not.  But  take  care  that  your  hearts  are  not  loaded  down 
with  self-indulgence  and  drunkenness  and  worldly  cares,  and 
that  day  takes  you  by  surprise,  like  a  trap.  For  it  will  come 
on  all  who  are  living  anywhere  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
But  you  must  be  vigilant  and  always  pray  that  you  may 
succeed  in  escaping  all  this  that  is  going  to  happen,  and  in 
standing  in  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  Man.” 

He  would  spend  the  days  teaching  in  the  Temple,  but  at 
night  he  would  go  out  of  the  city  and  stay  on  the  hill  called 
the  Mount  of  Olives.  And  in  the  morning  all  the  people 
would  come  to  him  in  the  Temple  to  listen  to  him. 

The  festival  of  Unleavened  Bread,  which  is  called  the 
Passover,  was  approaching.  And  the  high  priests  and  the 


21:20-22:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE  163 


scribes  were  casting  about  for  a  way  to  put  him  to  death,  for 
they  were  afraid  of  the  people. 

But  Satan  entered  into  Judas,  who  was  called  Iscariot, 
a  member  of  the  Twelve.  And  he  went  off  and  discussed 
with  the  high  priests  and  captains  of  the  Temple  how  he  could 
betray  him  to  them.  And  they  were  delighted  and  agreed 
to  pay  him  for  it.  And  he  accepted  their  offer,  and  watched 
for  an  opportunity  to  betray  him  to  them  without  a  disturb¬ 
ance. 

When  the  day  of  Unleavened  Bread  came,  on  which  the 
Passover  lamb  had  to  be  sacrificed,  Jesus  sent  Peter  and  John, 
saying  to  them, 

“Go  and  make  preparations  for  us  to  eat  the  Passover.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Where  do  you  want  us  to  prepare  it  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Just  after  you  enter  the  city,  you  will  meet  a  man 
carrying  a  pitcher  of  water.  Follow  him  to  the  house  to  which 
he  goes,  and  say  to  the  man  of  the  house,  ‘Our  Master  says  to 
you,  “Where  is  the  room  where  I  can  eat  the  Passover  supper 
with  my  disciples  ?”  ’  And  he  will  show  you  a  large  room 
upstairs  with  the  necessary  furniture.  Make  your  prepara¬ 
tions  there.” 

So  they  went  and  found  everything  just  as  he  had  told 
them,  and  they  prepared  the  Passover  supper. 

When  the  time  came,  he  took  his  place  at  the  table,  with 
the  apostles  about  him.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“I  have  greatly  desired  to  eat  this  Passover  supper  with 
you  before  I  suffer.  For  I  tell  you,  I  will  never  eat  one  again 
until  it  reaches  its  fulfilment  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.” 

And  when  he  was  handed  a  cup,  he  thanked  God,  and 
then  said, 

“Take  this  and  share  it  among  you,  for  I  tell  you,  I  will 
not  drink  the  product  of  the  vine  again  until  the  Kingdom 
of  God  comes.” 

And  he  took  a  loaf  of  bread  and  thanked  God,  and  broke 
it  in  pieces,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying, 

“This  is  my  body.  Yet  look!  The  hand  of  the  man 
who  is  betraying  me  is  beside  me  on  the  table!  For  the  Son 


22:3-22 


164 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


of  Man  is  going  his  way,  as  it  has  been  decreed,  but  alas  for 
the  man  by  whom  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed!” 

And  they  began  to  discuss  with  one  another  which  of  them 
it  was  who  was  going  to  do  this.  A  dispute  also  arose  among 
them,  as  to  which  one  of  them  ought  to  be  considered  the 
greatest.  But  he  said  to  them, 

“The  kings  of  the  heathen  lord  it  over  them,  and  their 
authorities  are  given  the  title  of  Benefactor.  But  you  are 
not  to  do  so,  but  whoever  is  greatest  among  you  must  be 
like  the  youngest,  and  the  leader  like  a  servant.  For  which  is 
greater,  the  man  at  the  table,  or  the  servant  who  waits  on  him  ? 
Is  not  the  man  at  the  table  ?  Yet  I  am  like  a  servant  among 
you.  But  it  is  you  who  have  stood  by  me  in  my  trials. 
So  just  as  my  Father  has  conferred  a  kingdom  on  me,  I  confer 
on  you  the  right  to  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom, 
and  to  sit  on  thrones  and  judge  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel! 
O  Simon,  Simon!  Satan  has  obtained  permission  to  sift  all  of 
you  like  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed  that  your  own  faith  may  not 
fail.  And  afterward  you  yourself  must  turn  and  strengthen 
your  brothers.” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“Master,  I  am  ready  to  go  to  prison  and  to  death  with 

i>> 

you! 

But  he  said, 

“  I  tell  you,  Peter,  tne  cock  will  not  crow  today  before 
you  deny  three  times  that  you  know  me!” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“When  I  sent  you  out  without  any  purse  or  bag  or  shoes, 
was  there  anything  you  needed  ?” 

They  said, 

“No,  nothing.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“But  now,  if  a  man  has  a  purse  let  him  take  it,  and  a 
bag  too.  And  a  man  who  has  no  sword  must  sell  his  coat 
and  buy  one.  For  I  tell  you  that  this  saying  of  Scripture 
must  find  its  fulfilment  in  me:  ‘He  was  rated  an  outlaw.’ 
Yes,  that  saying  about  me  is  to  be  fulfilled!” 

But  they  said, 

“See,  Master,  here  are  two  swords!” 

22:23-38 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE  165 


And  he  said  to  them, 

“Enough  of  this!” 

And  he  went  out  of  the  city  and  up  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do,  with  his  disciples 
following  him.  And  when  he  reached  the  spot,  he  said  to 
them, 

“Pray  that  you  may  not  be  subjected  to  trial.” 

And  he  withdrew  about  a  stone’s  throw  from  them,  and 
kneeling  down  he  prayed  and  said, 

“Father,  if  you  are  willing,  take  this  cup  away  from  me. 
But  not  my  will  but  yours  be  done!” 

When  he  got  up  from  his  prayer,  he  went  to  the  disciples 
and  found  them  asleep  from  sorrow.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Why  are  you  asleep  ?  Get  up,  and  pray  that  you  may 
not  be  subjected  to  trial!” 

While  he  was  still  speaking,  a  crowd  of  people  came 
up,  with  the  man  called  Judas,  one  of  the  Twelve,  at  their 
head,  and  he  stepped  up  to  Jesus  to  kiss  him.  Jesus  said 
to  him, 

“Would  you  betray  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?” 

Those  who  were  about  him  saw  what  was  coming  and  said, 

“Master,  shall  we  use  our  swords  ?” 

And  one  of  them  did  strike  at  the  high  priest’s  slave  and 
cut  his  right  ear  off.  But  Jesus  answered, 

“Let  me  do  this  much!” 

And  he  touched  his  ear  and  healed  him.  And  Jesus 
said  to  the  high  priests,  captains  of  the  Temple,  and  elders 
v/ho  had  come  to  take  him, 

“Have  you  come  out  with  swords  and  clubs  as  though 
I  were  a  robber  ?  When  I  was  among  you  day  after  day 
in  the  Temple  you  never  laid  a  hand  on  me!  But  you  choose 
this  hour,  and  the  cover  of  darkness!” 

Then  they  arrested  him  and  led  him  away  and  took  him 
to  the  house  of  the  high  priest.  And  Peter  followed  at  a 
distance.  And  they  kindled  a  fire  in  the  middle  of  the 
courtyard  and  sat  about  it,  and  Peter  sat  down  among  them. 
A  maid  saw  him  sitting  by  the  fire  and  looked  at  him  and 
said, 

“This  man  was  with  him  too.” 


22:39-56 


1 66 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  he  denied  it,  and  said, 

“I  do  not  know  him.” 

Shortly  after,  a  man  saw  him  and  said, 

“You  are  one  of  them  too!” 

But  Peter  said, 

“I  am  not!” 

About  an  hour  later,  another  man  insisted, 

“This  man  was  certainly  with  him  too,  for  he  is  a 
Galilean !” 

But  Peter  said,  v 

“I  do  not  know  what  you  mean.” 

And  immediately,  just  as  he  spoke,  a  cock  crowed.  And 
the  Master  turned  and  looked  at  Peter,  and  Peter  remembered 
the  words  the  Master  had  said  to  him — “Before  the  cock 
crows  today,  you  will  disown  me  three  times!”  And  he  went 
outside  and  wept  bitterly. 

The  men  who  had  Jesus  in  custody  flogged  him  and  made 
sport  of  him,  and  they  blindfolded  him,  and  asked  him, 

“Show  that  you  are  a  prophet!  Who  was  it  that  struck 
you  r 

And  they  said  many  other  abusive  things  to  him. 

As  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  elders  of  the  people  and  the 
high  priests  and  scribes  assembled,  and  brought  him  before 
their  council,  and  said  to  him, 

“If  you  are  the  Christ,  tell  us  so.” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“If  I  tell  you,  you  will  not  believe  me,  and  if  I  ask  you 
a  question,  you  will  not  answer  me.  But  from  this  time  on, 
the  Son  of  Man  will  be  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
Almighty!” 

And  they  all  said, 

“Are  you  the  Son  of  God  then  ?” 

And  he  said  to  them, 

“ I  am,  as  you  say!” 

Then  they  said, 

“What  do  we  want  of  testimony  now  ?  We  have  heard 
it  ourselves  from  his  own  mouth!” 

Then  they  arose  in  a  body  and  took  him  to  Pilate,  and 
they  made  this  charge  against  him: 

22:57-23:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE  167 


“Here  is  a  man  whom  we  have  found  misleading  our 
nation,  and  forbidding  the  payment  of  taxes  to  the  emperor, 
and  claiming  to  be  an  anointed  king  himself.” 

And  Pilate  asked  him, 

“Are  you  the  king  of  the  Jews  ? 

He  answered, 

€(  V  >> 

its. 

And  Pilate  said  to  the  high  priests  and  the  crowd, 

“I  cannot  find  anything  criminal  about  this  man.” 

But  they  persisted  and  said, 

“He  is  stirring  up  the  people  all  over  Judea  by  his 
teaching.  He  began  in  Galilee  and  he  has  come  here.” 

When  Pilate  heard  this,  he  asked  if  the  man  were  a 
Galilean,  and  learning  that  he  belonged  to  Herod’s  jurisdic¬ 
tion,  he  turned  him  over  to  Herod,  for  Herod  was  in  Jerusalem 
at  that  time.  When  Herod  saw  Jesus  he  was  delighted,  for 
he  had  wanted  for  a  long  time  to  see  him,  because  he  had 
heard  about  him  and  he  hoped  to  see  some  wonder  done  by 
him.  And  he  questioned  him  at  some  length,  but  he  made 
him  no  answer.  Meanwhile  the  high  priests  and  the  scribes 
stood  by  and  vehemently  accused  him.  And  Herod  and  his 
guards  made  light  of  him  and  ridiculed  him,  and  they  put  a 
gorgeous  robe  on  him  and  sent  him  back  to  Pilate.  And 
Herod  and  Pilate  became  friends  that  day,  for  they  had  been 
at  enmity  before. 

Pilate  summoned  the  high  priests  and  the  leading  members 
of  the  council  and  the  people,  and  said  to  them, 

“You  brought  this  man  before  me  charged  with  mis¬ 
leading  the  people,  and  here  I  have  examined  him  before  you 
and  not  found  him  guilty  of  any  of  the  things  that  you 
accuse  him  of.  Neither  has  Herod,  for  he  has  sent  him  back 
to  us.  You  see  he  has  done  nothing  to  call  for  his  death. 
So  I  will  teach  him  a  lesson  and  let  him  go.” 

But  they  all  shouted  out, 

“Kill  him,  and  release  Barabbas  for  us!” 

(He  was  a  man  who  had  been  put  in  prison  for  a  riot  that 
had  taken  place  in  the  city  and  for  murder.)  But  Pilate 
wanted  to  let  Jesus  go,  and  he  called  out  to  them  again. 
But  they  kept  on  shouting, 


23:3-21 


1 68 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Crucify  him!  Crucify  him !” 

And  he  said  to  them  a  third  time, 

“Why,  what  has  he  done  that  is  wrong  ?  For  I  have  lOund 
nothing  about  him  to  call  for  his  death.  So  I  will  teach  him 
a  lesson  and  let  him  go.” 

But  they  persisted  with  loud  outcries  in  demanding  that 
he  be  crucified,  and  their  shouting  won.  And  Pilate  pro¬ 
nounced  sentence  that  what  they  asked  for  should  be  done. 
He  released  the  man  they  asked  for,  who  had  been  put  in 
prison  for  riot  and  murder,  and  handed  Jesus  over  to  their  will. 

As  they  led  Jesus  away,  they  seized  a  man  named  Simon, 
from  Cyrene,  who  was  coming  in  from  the  country,  and  put 
the  cross  on  his  back,  for  him  to  carry  behind  Jesus.  He  was 
followed  by  a  great  crowd  of  the  people  and  of  women  who 
were  beating  their  breasts  and  lamenting  him.  But  Jesus 
turned  to  them  and  said, 

“Women  of  Jerusalem,  do  not  weep  for  me  but  weep  for 
yourselves  and  for  your  children,  for  a  time  is  coming  when 
they  will  say,  ‘Happy  are  the  childless  women,  and  those  who 
have  never  borne  or  nursed  children !’  Then  people  will  begin 
to  say  to  the  mountains,  ‘Fall  on  us!’  and  to  the  hills,  ‘Cover 
us  up!’  For  if  this  is  what  they  do  when  the  wood  is  green, 
what  will  happen  when  it  is  dry  ?” 

Two  criminals  were  also  led  out  to  execution  with  him. 

When  they  reached  the  place  called  the  Skull,  they  cruci¬ 
fied  him  there,  with  the  criminals  one  at  his  right  and 
one  at  his  left.  And  they  divided  up  his  clothes  among  them 
by  drawing  lots  for  them,  while  the  people  stood  looking  on. 
Even  the  leading  councilors  jeered  at  him,  and  said, 

“He  has  saved  others,  let  him  save  himself,  if  he  is  really 
God’s  Christ,  his  Chosen  One!” 

The  soldiers  also  made  sport  of  him,  coming  up  and 
offering  him  sour  wine,  saying, 

“if  you  are  the  king  of  the  Jews,  save  yourself!” 

For  there  was  a  notice  above  his  head,  “This  is  the  king  of 
the  Jews!” 

One  of  the  criminals  who  were  hanging  there,  abused 
him,  saying, 

“Are  you  not  the  Christ  ?  Save  yourself  and  us  too!” 

23 : 22-39 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE  169 


But  the  other  reproved  him  and  said, 

“Have  you  no  fear  even  of  God  when  you  are  suffering 
the  same  penalty  ?  And  we  are  suffering  it  justly,  for  we  are 
only  getting  our  deserts,  but  this  man  has  done  nothing 
wrong.” 

And  he  said, 

“Jesus,  remember  me  when  you  come  into  your  kingdom!” 

And  he  said  to  him, 

“I  tell  you,  you  will  be  in  Paradise  with  me  today!” 

It  was  now  about  noon,  and  darkness  came  over  the  whole 
country,  and  lasted  until  three  in  the  afternoon,  as  the  sun 
was  in  eclipse.  And  the  curtain  before  the  sanctuary  was 
torn  in  two.  Then  Jesus  gave  a  loud  cry,  and  said, 

“Father,  I  intrust  my  spirit  to  your  hands!” 

With  these  words  he  expired. 

When  the  captain  saw  what  had  happened  he  praised 
God,  and  said, 

“This  man  was  really  innocent!” 

And  all  the  crowds  that  had  collected  for  the  sight, 
when  they  saw  what  happened,  returned  to  the  city  beating 
their  breasts.  And  all  his  acquaintances  and  the  women 
who  had  come  with  him  from  Galilee,  stood  at  a  distance 
looking  on. 

Now  there  was  a  man  named  Joseph,  a  member  of  the 
council,  a  good  and  upright  man,  who  had  not  voted  for  the 
plan  or  action  of  the  council.  He  came  from  the  Jewish  town 
of  Arimathea  and  lived  in  expectation  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  He  went  to  Pilate  and  asked  for  Jesus’  body.  Then 
he  took  it  down  from  the  cross  and  wrapped  it  in  linen  and 
laid  it  in  a  tomb  hewn  in  the  rock,  where  no  one  had  yet  been 
laid.  It  was  the  Preparation  Day,  and  the  Sabbath  was  just 
beginning.  The  women  who  had  followed  Jesus  from 
Galilee  followed  and  saw  the  tomb  and  how  his  body  was 
put  there.  Then  they  went  home,  and  prepared  spices  and 
perfumes. 

On  the  Sabbath  they  rested  in  obedience  to  the  command¬ 
ment,  but  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  at  early  dawn,  they 
went  to  the  tomb,  taking  the  spices  they  had  prepared. 
But  they  found  the  stone  rolled  back  from  the  tomb,  and  when 


23:40-24:3 


170 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


they  went  inside  they  could  not  find  the  body.  They  were  in 
great  perplexity  over  this,  when  suddenly  two  men  in  dazzling 
clothing  stood  beside  them.  The  women  were  frightened 
and  bowed  their  faces  to  the  ground,  but  the  men  said  to  them, 

“Why  do  you  look  among  the  dead  for  him  who  is  alive  ? 
Remember  what  he  told  you  while  he  was  still  in  Galilee, 
when  he  said  that  the  Son  of  Man  must  be  handed  over  to 
wicked  men  and  be  crucified  and  rise  again  on  the  third  day.” 

Then  they  remembered  his  words,  and  they  went  back 
from  the  tomb  and  told  all  this  to  the  eleven  and  all  the 
rest.  They  were  Mary  of  Magdala  and  Joanna  and  Mary, 
James’s  mother;  and  the  other  women  also  told  this  to  the 
apostles.  But  the  story  seemed  to  them  to  be  nonsense  and 
they  would  not  believe  them. 

That  same  day  two  of  them  were  going  to  a  village  called 
Emmaus,  about  seven  miles  from  Jerusalem,  and  they  were 
talking  together  about  all  these  things  that  had  happened. 
And  as  they  were  talking  and  discussing  them,  Jesus  himself 
came  up  and  went  with  them,  but  they  were  prevented  from 
recognizing  him.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“What  is  all  this  that  you  are  discussing  with  each  other 
on  your  way  ?” 

They  stopped  sadly,  and  one  of  them  named  Cleopas 
said  to  him, 

“Are  you  the  only  visitor  to  Jerusalem  who  does  not  know 
what  has  happened  there  lately  ?” 

And  he  said, 

“What  is  it  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“About  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  in  the  eyes  of  God  and  of 
all  the  people  was  a  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and  word,  and  how 
the  high  priests  and  our  leading  men  gave  him  up  to  be 
sentenced  to  death,  and  had  him  crucified.  But  we  were 
hoping  that  he  was  to  be  the  deliverer  of  Israel.  Why, 
besides  all  this,  it  is  three  days  since  it  happened.  But  some 
women  of  our  number  have  astounded  us.  They  went  to  the 
tomb  early  this  morning  and  could  not  find  his  body,  but 
came  back  and  said  that  they  had  actually  seen  a  vision  of 
angels  who  said  that  he  was  alive.  Then  some  of  our  party 

24:4-24 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE 


171 

went  to  the  tomb  and  found  things  just  as  the  women  had 
said,  but  they  did  not  see  him.” 

Then  he  said  to  them, 

“How  foolish  you  are  and  how  slow  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  have  said!  Did  not  the  Christ  have  to  suffer  thus 
before  entering  upon  his  glory  ?” 

And  he  began  with  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  and 
explained  to  them  the  passages  all  through  the  Scriptures 
that  referred  to  himself.  When  they  reached  the  village  to 
which  they  were  going,  he  acted  as  though  he  were  going  on, 
but  they  urged  him  not  to,  and  said, 

“Stay  with  us,  for  it  is  getting  toward  evening,  and  the 
day  is  nearly  over.” 

So  he  went  in  to  stay  with  them.  And  when  he  took 
his  place  with  them  at  table,  he  took  the  bread  and  blessed 
*t  and  broke  it  in  pieces  and  handed  it  to  them.  Then 
their  eyes  were  opened  and  they  knew  him,  and  he  vanished 
from  them.  And  they  said  to  each  other, 

“Did  not  our  hearts  glow  when  he  was  talking  to  us  on 
the  road,  and  was  explaining  the  Scriptures  to  us  ?” 

And  they  got  up  immediately  and  went  back  to  Jerusalem, 
and  found  the  eleven  and  their  party  all  together,  and  learned 
from  them  that  the  Master  had  really  risen  and  had  been  seen 
by  Simon.  And  they  told  what  had  happened  on  the  road, 
and  how  they  had  known  him  when  he  broke  the  bread  in 
pieces. 

While  they  were  still  talking  of  these  things,  he  himself 
stood  among  them.  They  were  startled  and  panic  stricken, 
and  thought  they  saw  a  ghost.  But  he  said  to  them, 

“Why  are  you  so  disturbed,  and  why  do  doubts  arise  in 
your  minds  ?  Look  at  my  hands  and  feet,  for  it  is  I  myself! 
Feel  of  me  and  see,  for  a  ghost  has  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  you 
see  I  have.” 

But  they  could  not  yet  believe  it  for  sheer  joy  and  they 
were  amazed.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Have  you  anything  here  to  eat  ?” 

And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of  broiled  fish,  and  he  took 
it  and  ate  it  before  their  eyes. 

Then  he  said  to  them, 


24:25-44 


172 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“This  is  what  I  told  you  when  I  was  still  with  you — that 
everything  that  is  written  about  me  in  the  Law  of  Moses  and 
the  Prophets  and  the  Psalms  must  come  true.” 

Then  he  opened  their  minds  to  the  understanding  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  said  to  them, 

“The  Scriptures  said  that  the  Christ  should  suffer  as  he 
has  done,  and  rise  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  and  that 
repentance  leading  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins  should  be 
preached  to  all  the  heathen  in  his  name.  You  are  to  be 
witnesses  to  all  this,  beginning  at  Jerusalem.  And  I  will 
send  down  upon  you  what  my  Father  has  promised.  Wait 
here  in  the  city  until  you  are  clothed  with  power  from  on 
high.” 

And  he  led  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany.  Then  he  lifted 
up  his  hands  and  blessed  them.  And  as  he  was  blessing  them, 
he  parted  from  them.  And  they  went  back  with  great  joy 
to  Jerusalem,  and  were  constantly  in  the  Temple,  blessing 
God. 


24H5“53 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


In  the  beginning  the  Word  existed.  The  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  divine. 

It  was  he  that  was  with  God  in  the  beginning.  Every¬ 
thing  came  into  existence  through  him,  and  apart  from  him 
nothing  came  to  be.  It  was  by  him  that  life  came  into  exist¬ 
ence,  and  that  life  was  the  light  of  mankind.  The  light  is  still 
shining  in  the  darkness,  for  the  darkness  has  never  put  it  out. 

There  appeared  a  man  by  the  name  of  John,  with  a 
message  from  God.  He  came  to  give  testimony,  to  testify  to 
the  light,  so  that  everyone  might  come  to  believe  in  it  through 
him.  He  was  not  the  light;  he  came  to  testify  to  the  light. 

The  real  light,  which  sheds  light  upon  everyone,  was  just 
coming  into  the  world.  He  came  into  the  world,  and  though 
the  world  came  into  existence  through  him,  the  world  did  not 
recognize  him.  He  came  to  his  home,  and  his  own  family  did 
not  welcome  him.  But  to  all  who  did  receive  him  and 
believe  in  him  he  gave  the  right  to  become  children  of  God, 
owing  their  birth  not  to  nature  nor  to  any  human  or  physical 
impulse,  but  to  God. 

So  the  Word  became  flesh  and  blood  and  lived  for  a  while 
among  us,  abounding  in  blessing  and  truth,  and  we  saw  the 
honor  God  had  given  him,  such  honor  as  an  only  son  receives 
from  his  father.  (John  testified  to  him  and  cried  out — for  it 
was  he  who  said  it — “He  who  was  to  come  after  me  is  now 
ahead  of  me,  for  he  existed  before  me!”) 

For  from  his  abundance  we  have  all  had  a  share,  and 
received  blessing  after  blessing.  For  while  the  Law  was 
given  through  Moses,  blessing  and  truth  came  to  us  through 
Jesus  Christ.  No  one  has  ever  seen  God;  it  is  the  divine 
Only  Son,  who  leans  upon  his  Father’s  breast,  that  has  rnade 
him  known. 

Now  this  is  the  testimony  that  John  gave  when  the  Jews 
sent  priests  and  Levites  to  him  from  Jerusalem  to  ask  him  who 


!73 


i :  i— 1 9 


!74 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


he  was.  He  admitted — he  made  no  attempt  to  deny  it — he 
admitted  that  he  was  not  the  Christ.  Then  they  asked  him, 

“What  are  you  then  ?  Are  you  Elijah  ?” 

He  said, 

“No,  I  am  not.” 

“Are  you  the  Prophet  ?” 

He  answered, 

“No.” 

Then  they  said  to  him, 

“Who  are  you?  We  must  have  some  answer  to  give 
those  who  sent  us  here.  What  have  you  to  say  for  yourself  ?” 

He  said, 

“I  am  a  voice  of  one  shouting  in  the  desert,  ‘Straighten 
the  Lord’s  way!’  as  the  prophet  Isaiah  said.” 

Now  the  messengers  were  Pharisees.  And  they  asked  him, 

“Then  why  are  you  baptizing  people,  if  you  are  not  the 
Christ,  nor  Elijah,  nor  the  Prophet  ?” 

“I  am  only  baptizing  in  water,”  John  answered,  “But 
someone  is  standing  among  you  of  whom  you  do  not  know. 
He  is  to  come  after  me,  and  I  am  not  worthy  to  undo  his  shoe !” 

This  took  place  at  Bethany,  on  the  farther  side  of  the 
Jordan,  where  John  was  baptizing. 

The  next  day  he  saw  Jesus  coming  toward  him,  and 
he  said, 

“There  is  God’s  lamb,  who  is  to  remove  the  world’s  sin! 
This  is  the  man  of  whom  I  spoke  when  I  said,  ‘After  me  there 
is  coming  a  man  who  is  even  now  ahead  of  me,  for  he  existed 
before  me.’  I  did  not  know  him,  but  it  is  in  order  that  he  may 
be  made  known  to  Israel  that  I  have  come  and  baptized  people 
in  water.” 

And  John  gave  this  testimony: 

“I  saw  the  Spirit  come  down  from  heaven  like  a  dove, 
and  it  remained  upon  him.  I  did  not  know  him,  but  he  who 
sent  me  to  baptize  in  water  said  to  me,  ‘The  one  on  whom  you 
see  the  Spirit  come  down  and  remain,  is  the  one  who  is  to 
baptize  in  the  holy  Spirit.’  And  I  did  see  it,  and  I  testify 
that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.” 

Again  the  next  day  John  was  standing  with  two  of  his 
disciples,  and  looking  at  Jesus  as  he  passed,  he  said, 

i :  20—36 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  175 


“There  is  God’s  lamb!” 

The  two  disciples  heard  him  say  this,  and  they  followed 
Jesus.  But  Jesus  turned,  and  seeing  them  following  him 
he  said, 

“What  do  you  want  ?” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Rabbi” — that  is  to  say,  Master — “Where  are  you 
staying  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“Come  and  you  will  see.” 

So  they  went  and  saw  where  he  was  staying,  and  they 
spent  the  rest  of  the  day  with  him.  It  was  about  four  in  the 
afternoon. 

Andrew,  Simon  Peter’s  brother,  was  one  of  the  two  who 
heard  what  John  said  and  followed  Jesus.  Andrew  immedi¬ 
ately  sought  out  his  own  brother  Simon  and  said  to  him, 
“We  have  found  the  Messiah!” — that  is  to  say,  the 
Christ. 

He  took  him  to  Jesus.  Jesus  looked  at  him  and  said, 
“You  are  Simon,  son  of  John.  You  shall  be  called 
Cephas” — that  is,  Peter,  which  means  rock. 

The  next  day  Jesus  determined  to  leave  for  Galilee.  And 
he  sought  out  Philip  and  said  to  him, 

“  Come  with  me.” 

Now  Philip  came  from  Bethsaida,  the  town  of  Andrew 
and  Peter.  Philip  sought  out  Nathanael,  and  said  to  him, 
“We  have  found  the  one  about  whom  Moses  wrote  in  the 
Law  and  about  whom  the  prophets  wrote;  it  is  Jesus,  the 
son  of  Joseph,  who  comes  from  Nazareth!” 

Nathanael  said  to  him, 

“Can  anything  good  come  from  Nazareth  ?” 

Philip  said  to  him, 

“Come  and  see!” 

Jesus  saw  Nathanael  coming  toward  him,  and  he  said 
of  him, 

“Here  is  really  an  Israelite  without  any  deceit  in  him!” 
Nathanael  said  to  him, 

“How  do  you  know  me  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 


1:37-48 


176 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“While  you  were  still  under  that  fig  tree,  before  Philip 
called  you  I  saw  you.” 

Nathanael  answered, 

“Master,  you  are  the  Son  of  God!  You  are  king  of 
Israel!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  Do  you  believe  in  me  because  I  told  you  that  I  had 
seen  you  under  that  fig  tree  ?  You  will  see  greater  things  than 
that!”  And  he  said  to  him,  “I  tell  you  all,  you  will  see 
heaven  opened  and  God’s  angels  going  up,  and  coming  down 
to  the  Son  of  Man !” 

Two  days  later  there  was  a  wedding  at  Cana  in  Galilee, 
and  Jesus’  mother  was  present.  Jesus  and  his  disciples 
were  also  invited  to  the  wedding.  The  wine  gave  out,  and 
Jesus’  mother  said  to  him, 

“They  have  no  more  wine!” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“Do  not  try  to  direct  me.  It  is  not  yet  time  for  me 
to  act.” 

His  mother  said  to  the  servants, 

“Do  whatever  he  tells  you.” 

Now  there  were  six  stone  water  jars  standing  there,  for 
the  ceremonial  purification  practiced  by  the  Jews,  each  large 
enough  to  hold  twenty  or  thirty  gallons.  Jesus  said  to 
them, 

“Fill  these  jars  with  water.” 

So  they  filled  them  full.  And  he  said  to  them, 

“Now  draw  some  out  and  take  it  to  the  master  of  the 
feast.” 

And  they  did  so.  When  the  master  of  the  feast  tasted 
the  water  which  had  now  turned  into  wine,  without  knowing 
where  it  had  come  from — though  the  servants  who  had  drawn 
the  water  knew — he  called  the  bridegroom  and  said  to  him, 

“Everyone  else  serves  his  good  wine  first,  and  his  poorer 
wine  after  people  have  drunk  deeply,  but  you  have  kept  back 
your  good  wine  till  now!” 

This,  the  first  of  the  signs  of  his  mission,  Jesus  showed 
at  Cana  in  Galilee.  By  it  he  showed  his  greatness,  and  his 
disciples  believed  in  him. 

1 : 49-2 : 1 1 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


ijy 


After  this  Jesus  went  down  to  Capernaum  with  his 
mother,  his  brothers,  and  his  disciples,  and  they  stayed 
there  for  a  few  days. 

Now  the  Jewish  Passover  was  approaching,  and  Jesus 
went  up  to  Jerusalem.  In  the  Temple  he  found  the  dealers 
in  cattle,  sheep,  and  pigeons,  and  the  money-changers 
sitting  at  their  tables.  And  he  made  a  lash  out  of  rope,  and 
drove  them  all,  sheep  and  cattle,  out  of  the  Temple,  and 
scattered  the  money-changers’  coins  on  the  ground,  and 
overturned  their  tables.  And  he  said  to  the  pigeon-dealers, 

“Take  these  things  away!  Do  not  turn  my  Father’s 
house  into  a  market!” 

His  disciples  remembered  that  the  Scriptures  said, 
“My  zeal  for  your  house  will  consume  me!” 

Then  the  Jews  addressed  him  and  said, 

“What  sign  have  you  to  show  us,  for  acting  in  this  way  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  Destroy  this  sanctuary,  and  I  will  raise  it  in  three  days !” 

The  Jews  said, 

“It  has  taken  forty-six  years  to  build  this  sanctuary, 
and  are  you  going  to  raise  it  in  three  days  ?” 

But  he  was  speaking  of  his  body  as  the  sanctuary.  So 
afterward  when  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  his  disciples 
remembered  that  he  had  said  this,  and  they  believed  the 
passage  of  Scripture  and  what  Jesus  had  said. 

Now  when  he  was  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  Passover  Festival, 
many,  when  they  saw  the  signs  that  he  showed,  came  to  believe 
in  him.  But  Jesus  on  his  part  would  not  trust  himself  to 
them,  for  he  knew  them  all,  and  had  no  need  of  anybody’s 
evidence  about  men,  for  he  knew  well  what  was  in  their  hearts. 

Among  the  Pharisees  there  was  a  man  named  Nicodemus, 
a  leader  among  the  Jews.  This  man  went  to  Jesus  one  night, 
and  said  to  him, 

“  Master,  we  know  that  you  are  a  teacher  who  has  come 
from  God,  for  no  one  can  show  the  signs  that  you  do,  unless 
God  is  with  him.” 

Jesus  answered  him, 

“I  tell  you,  no  one  can  see  the  Kingdom  of  God  unless 
he  is  born  over  again  from  above!” 


2:12-3:3 


1 7S 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Nicodemus  said  to  him, 

“How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?  Can  he  enter 
his  mother’s  womb  over  again  and  be  born  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  tell  you,  if  a  man  does  not  owe  his  birth  to  water 
and  spirit,  he  cannot  get  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  What¬ 
ever  owes  its  birth  to  the  physical  is  physical,  and  whatever 
owes  its  birth  to  the  Spirit  is  spiritual.  Do  not  wonder  at 
my  telling  you  that  you  must  be  born  over  again  from  above. 
The  wind  blows  wherever  it  chooses,  and  you  hear  the  sound 
of  it,  but  you  do  not  know  where  it  comes  from  or  where  it 
goes.  That  is  the  way  with  everyone  who  owes  his  birth  to 
the  Spirit.” 

Nicodemus  said  to  him, 

“How  can  that  be  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Are  you  the  teacher  of  Israel  and  yet  ignorant  of  this  ? 
I  tell  you,  we  know  what  we  are  talking  about  and  we  have 
seen  the  things  we  testify  to,  yet  you  all  reject  our  testimony. 
If  you  will  not  believe  the  earthly  things  that  I  have  told  you, 
how  can  you  believe  the  heavenly  things  I  have  to  tell  ?  Yet 
no  one  has  gone  up  into  heaven  except  the  Son  of  Man  who 
came  down  from  heaven.  And  just  as  Moses  in  the  desert 
lifted  the  serpent  up  in  the  air,  the  Son  of  Man  must  be  lifted 
up,  so  that  everyone  who  believes  in  him  may  have  eternal 
life.” 

For  God  loved  the  world  so  much  that  he  gave  his 
only  Son,  so  that  no  one  who  believes  in  him  should  be  lost, 
but  that  they  should  all  have  eternal  life.  For  God  did  not 
send  his  Son  into  the  world  to  pass  judgment  upon  the  world, 
but  that  through  him  the  world  might  be  saved.  No  one  who 
believes  in  him  has  to  come  up  for  judgment.  Anyone  who 
does  not  believe  stands  condemned  already,  for  not  believing 
in  God’s  only  Son.  And  the  basis  of  the  judgment  is  this, 
that  the  light  has  come  into  the  world,  and  yet,  because  their 
actions  were  wicked,  men  have  loved  the  darkness  more  than 
the  light.  For  everyone  who  does  wrong  hates  the  light 
and  will  not  come  to  it,  for  fear  his  actions  will  be  exposed. 
But  everyone  who  is  living  the  truth  will  come  to  the  light,  to 

3:4-21 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


179 


show  that  his  actions  have  been  performed  in  dependence 
upon  God. 

After  this  Jesus  went  into  the  country  of  Judea  with  his 
disciples,  and  stayed  there  with  them  and  baptized.  John 
too  was  baptizing  at  Aenon,  near  Salim,  for  there  was  plenty  of 
water  there,  and  people  came  there  and  were  baptized.  For 
John  had  not  yet  been  put  in  prison.  So  a  discussion 
arose  between  John’s  disciples  and  a  man  from  Judea, 
about  purification.  And  they  went  to  John  and  said  to 
him, 

“Master,  the  man  who  was  with  you  across  the  Jordan, 
and  to  whom  you  yourself  gave  testimony,  is  baptizing,  and 
everybody  is  going  to  him.” 

John  answered, 

“A  man  cannot  get  anything  unless  it  is  given  to  him  from 
heaven.  You  will  bear  me  witness  that  I  said,  ‘I  am  not  the 
Christ;  I  have  been  sent  in  advance  of  him.’  It  is  the  bride¬ 
groom  who  has  the  bride;  but  the  bridegroom’s  friend  who 
stands  outside  and  listens  for  his  voice  is  very  glad  when  he 
hears  the  bridegroom  speak.  So  this  happiness  of  mine  is 
now  complete.  He  must  grow  greater  and  greater,  but  I 
less  and  less.” 

He  who  comes  from  above  is  above  all  others.  A  son  of 
earth  belongs  to  earth  and  speaks  of  earth.  He  who  comes 
from  heaven  is  above  all  others.  It  is  to  what  he  has  seen  and 
heard  that  he  gives  testimony,  and  yet  no  one  accepts  his 
testimony.  Whoever  does  accept  it  has  thereby  acknowl¬ 
edged  that  God  is  true.  For  he  whom  God  has  sent  speaks 
God’s  words,  for  God  gives  him  his  Spirit  without  measure. 
The  Father  loves  his  Son,  and  has  put  everything  in  his  hands. 
Whoever  believes  in  the  Son  possesses  eternal  life,  but 
whoever  disobeys  the  Son  will  not  experience  life,  but  will 
remain  under  the  anger  of  God. 

So  when  the  Lord  learned  that  the  Pharisees  had  been  told 
that  he  was  gaining  and  baptizing  more  disciples  than  John— 
though  it  was  not  Jesus  himself  who  baptized  them,  but  his  dis¬ 
ciples — he  left  Judea  and  went  back  again  to  Galilee.  Now  he 
had  to  pass  through  Samaria.  So  he  came  to  a  town  in 
Samaria  called  Sychar,  near  the  field  that  Jacob  gave  to  his 

3:22-4:5 


i8o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


son  Joseph,  and  Jacob’s  spring  was  there.  So  Jesus,  tired  with 
his  journey,  sat  down  just  as  he  was  by  the  spring.  It  was 
about  noon.  A  woman  of  Samaria  came  to  draw  water. 
Jesus  said  to  her, 

“Give  me  a  drink.” 

For  his  disciples  had  gone  into  the  town  to  buy  some 
food.  So  the  Samaritan  woman  said  to  him, 

“How  is  it  that  a  Jew  like  you  asks  a  Samaritan  woman 
like  me  for  a  drink  ?”  For  Jews  have  nothing  to  do  with 
Samaritans.  Jesus  answered, 

“If  you  knew  what  God  has  to  give,  and  who  it  is  that 
said  to  you,  ‘Give  me  a  drink,’  you  would  have  asked  him, 
and  he  would  have  given  you  living  water.” 

She  said  to  him, 

“You  have  nothing  to  draw  water  with,  sir,  and  the  well 
is  deep.  Where  can  you  get  your  living  water  ?  Are  you  a 
greater  man  than  our  forefather  Jacob,  who  gave  us  this  well, 
and  drank  from  it  himself,  with  his  sons  and  his  flocks  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Anyone  who  drinks  this  water  will  be  thirsty  again,  but 
anyone  who  drinks  the  water  that  I  will  give  him  will  never 
be  thirsty,  but  the  water  that  I  will  give  him  will  become  a 
spring  of  water  within  him,  bubbling  up  for  eternal  life.” 

The  woman  said  to  him, 

“  Give  me  this  water,  sir,  so  that  I  may  never  be  thirsty, 
nor  have  to  come  all  this  way  to  draw  water.” 

He  said  to  her, 

“  Go  and  call  your  husband  and  come  back  here.” 

The  woman  answered, 

“I  have  no  husband.” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“You  are  right  when  you  say  you  have  no  husband,  for 
you  have  had  five  husbands  and  the  man  you  are  now  living 
with  is  not  your  husband.  What  you  say  is  true.” 

The  woman  said  to  him, 

“I  see  that  you  are  a  prophet,  sir.  Our  forefathers 
worshiped  God  on  this  mountain,  and  yet  you  Jews  say  that 
the  place  where  people  must  worship  God  is  at  Jerusalem.” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

4:6-21 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  181 


“  Believe  me,  the  time  is  coming  when  you  will  worship 
the  Father  neither  on  this  mountain  nor  at  Jerusalem.  You 
worship  something  you  know  nothing  about;  we  know  what 
we  worship,  for  salvation  comes  from  the  Jews.  But  a  time 
is  coming — it  is  already  here! — when  the  true  worshipers 
will  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  sincerity,  for  the  Father 
wants  such  worshipers.  God  is  spirit,  and  his  worshipers 
must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  sincerity.” 

The  woman  said  to  him, 

“I  know  that  the  Messiah  is  coming — he  who  is  called 
the  Christ.  When  he  comes,  he  will  tell  us  everything!” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“I  who  am  talking  to  you  am  he!” 

Just  then  his  disciples  came  back,  and  they  were  surprised 
to  find  him  talking  with  a  woman,  yet  no  one  of  them  asked 
him  what  he  wanted  or  why  he  was  talking  with  her.  So  the 
woman  left  her  pitcher  and  went  back  to  the  town,  and  said 
to  the  people, 

“  Come,  here  is  a  man  who  has  told  me  everything  I  ever 
did!  Do  you  suppose  he  is  the  Christ  ?” 

The  people  went  out  of  the  town  to  see  him. 

Meanwhile  the  disciples  urged  him,  saying, 

‘‘Master,  eat  something.” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“I  have  food  to  eat  of  which  you  do  not  know.” 

So  the  disciples  said  to  one  another, 

“Do  you  suppose  that  someone  has  brought  him  some¬ 
thing  to  eat  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“My  food  is  doing  the  will  of  him  who  has  sent  me,  and 
finishing  his  work.  Are  you  not  saying,  ‘Four  months  more 
and  the  harvest  will  come’  ?  Look,  I  tell  you!  Raise  your 
eyes  and  see  the  fields,  for  they  are  white  for  harvesting. 
The  reaper  is  already  being  paid  and  gathering  the  harvest 
for  eternal  life,  so  that  the  sower  may  be  glad  with  the 
reaper.  For  here  the  saying  holds  good,  ‘One  sows,  another 
reaps.’  I  have  sent  you  to  reap  a  harvest  on  which  you  have 
not  worked.  Other  men  have  worked  and  you  have  profited 
by  their  work.” 


4:22-38 


182 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Many  of  the  Samaritans  in  that  town  came  to  believe  in 
him  because  of  the  testimony  the  woman  gave  when  she  said, 
“He  has  told  me  everything  I  ever  did!”  So  when  the 
Samaritans  came  to  Jesus,  they  asked  him  to  stay  with  them, 
and  he  did  stay  there  two  days.  And  a  great  many  more 
believed  because  of  what  he  said,  and  they  said  to  the  woman, 
“It  is  no  longer  because  of  your  statement  that  we 
believe,  for  we  have  heard  him  ourselves,  and  we  know  that 
he  is  really  the  Savior  of  the  world.” 

When  the  two  days  were  over,  Jesus  went  on  to  Galilee, 
for  he  himself  declared  that  a  prophet  is  not  honored  in  his 
own  country.  So  when  he  reached  Galilee,  the  Galileans 
welcomed  him,  for  they  had  seen  everything  he  had  done  at 
Jerusalem,  at  the  festival,  for  they  too  had  gone  to  the  festival. 

So  he  came  back  to  Cana  in  Galilee,  where  he  had  made 
the  water  into  wine.  There  was  at  Capernaum  one  of  the 
king’s  officials  whose  son  was  sick.  When  he  heard  that 
Jesus  had  come  back  from  Judea  to  Galilee,  he  went  to  him 
and  begged  him  to  come  down  and  cure  his  son,  for  he  was  at 
the  point  of  death.  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Unless  you  see  signs  and  marvels  you  will  never  believe!” 
The  official  said  to  him, 

“Come  down,  sir,  before  my  child  is  dead!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“You  can  go  home.  Your  son  is  going  to  live.” 

The  man  believed  what  Jesus  said  to  him  and  went  home. 
While  he  was  on  the  way,  his  slaves  met  him  and  told  him 
that  his  boy  was  going  to  live.  So  he  asked  them  at  what  time 
he  had  begun  to  get  better,  and  they  said  to  him, 

“Yesterday  at  one  o’clock  the  fever  left  him.” 

So  the  father  knew  that  it  was  the  very  time  when  Jesus 
had  said  to  him  “Your  son  is  going  to  live.”  And  he  and  his 
whole  household  believed  in  Jesus.  This  second  sign  Jesus 
showed  after  coming  back  from  Judea  to  Galilee. 

After  this  there  was  a  festival  of  the  Jews,  and  Jesus  went 
up  to  Jerusalem.  Now  there  is  in  Jerusalem  near  the  Sheep- 
gate  a  pool  called  in  Hebrew  Bethzatha,  which  has  five 
colonnades.  In  these  there  used  to  lie  a  great  number  of 

4:39-5n 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  183 


people  who  were  sick,  blind,  lame,  or  paralyzed.  There 
was  one  man  there  who  had  been  sick  for  thirty-eight  years. 
Jesus  saw  him  lying  there,  and  finding  that  he  had  been  in  this 
condition  for  a  long  time,  said  to  him, 

“  Do  you  want  to  get  well  ?” 

The  sick  man  answered, 

“I  have  nobody,  sir,  to  put  me  into  the  pool  when  the 
water  stirs,  but  while  I  am  getting  down  someone  else  steps 
in  ahead  of  me.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Get  up,  pick  up  your  mat,  and  walk!” 

And  the  man  was  immediately  cured,  and  he  picked  up 
his  mat  and  walked. 

Now  it  was  the  Sabbath.  So  the  Jews  said  to  the  man 
who  had  been  cured, 

“It  is  the  Sabbath,  and  it  is  against  the  Law  for  you  to 
carry  your  mat.” 

But  he  answered, 

“The  man  who  cured  me  said  to  me,  ‘Pick  up  your  mat 
and  walk.’  ” 

They  asked  him, 

“Who  was  it  that  said  to  you,  ‘Pick  it  up  and  walk’  ?” 

But  the  man  who  had  been  cured  did  not  know  who  it  was, 
for  as  there  was  a  crowd  there,  Jesus  had  left  the  place. 
Afterward  Jesus  found  him  in  the  Temple,  and  said  to  him, 

“See!  You  are  well  again.  Give  up  sin,  or  something 
worse  may  happen  to  you.” 

The  man  went  and  told  the  Jews  that  it  was  Jesus  who  had 
cured  him.  This  was  why  the  Jews  used  to  persecute  Jesus, 
because  he  did  things  like  this  on  the  Sabbath.  But  he 
answered  them, 

“  My  Father  is  still  at  work,  and  I  work  too.” 

On  account  of  this  the  Jews  were  all  the  more  eager  to 
kill  him,  because  he  not  only  broke  the  Sabbath  but  actually 
called  God  his  Father,  thus  putting  himself  on  an  equality 
with  God.  So  Jesus  answered  them, 

“I  tell  you,  the  Son  cannot  do  anything  of  his  own 
accord,  unless  he  sees  the  Father  doing  it.  For  whatever  the 
Father  does,  the  Son  also  does.  For  the  Father  loves  the 


5:5-20 


184 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Son  and  lets  him  see  everything  that  he  himself  is  doing,  and 
he  will  let  him  see  greater  deeds  than  these,  to  make  you 
wonder.  For  just  as  the  Father  awakens  the  dead  and  makes 
them  come  to  life,  the  Son  makes  anyone  whom  he  chooses 
come  to  life.  For  the  Father  passes  judgment  on  no  one, 
but  he  has  committed  the  judgment  entirely  to  the  Son,  so 
that  all  men  may  honor  the  Son  just  as  much  as  they  honor 
the  Father.  Whoever  refuses  to  honor  the  Son  refuses  to 
honor  the  Father  who  sent  him.  I  tell  you,  whoever  listens 
to  my  message  and  believes  him  who  has  sent  me,  possesses 
eternal  life,  and  will  not  come  to  judgment,  but  has  already 
passed  out  of  death  into  life.  I  tell  you,  the  time  is  coming — 
it  is  here  already! — when  those  who  are  dead  will  listen  to  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  those  who  listen  to  it  will  live. 
For  just  as  the  Father  is  self-existent,  he  has  given  self¬ 
existence  to  the  Son,  and  he  has  given  him  the  authority  to 
act  as  judge,  because  he  is  a  son  of  man.  Do  not  be  surprised 
at  this,  for  the  time  is  coming  when  all  who  are  in  their  graves 
will  listen  to  his  voice,  and  those  who  have  done  right  will  come 
out  to  resurrection  and  life,  and  those  who  have  done  wrong, 
to  resurrection  and  judgment.  I  cannot  do  anything  of  my 
own  accord.  I  pass  judgment  just  as  I  am  told  to  do,  and 
my  judgment  is  just,  for  I  am  not  seeking  to  do  what  I  please, 
but  what  pleases  him  who  has  sent  me. 

“If  I  testify  to  myself,  my  testimony  is  not  true.  It  is 
someone  else  who  testifies  to  me,  and  I  know  that  the  testi¬ 
mony  that  he  gives  about  me  is  true.  You  yourselves  sent  to 
John,  and  he  testified  to  the  truth.  But  the  testimony  that  I 
accept  is  not  from  any  man;  I  am  only  saying  this  that  you 
may  be  saved.  He  was  the  lamp  that  burned  and  shone, 
and  you  were  ready  to  be  gladdened  for  a  while  by  his  light. 
But  I  have  higher  testimony  than  John’s,  for  the  things  that 
my  Father  has  intrusted  to  me  to  accomplish,  the  very 
things  that  I  am  doing,  are  proof  that  my  Father  has  sent 
me,  and  my  Father  who  has  sent  me  has  thus  borne  witness 
to  me.  You  have  never  heard  his  voice  or  seen  his  form, 
and  you  do  not  keep  his  message  in  your  hearts,  for  you  do  not 
believe  the  messenger  whom  he  has  sent.  You  pore  over  the 
Scriptures,  for  you  think  that  you  will  find  eternal  life  in 

5:21-39 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  185 


them,  and  these  very  Scriptures  testify  to  me,  yet  you  refuse 
to  come  to  me  for  life.  I  do  not  accept  any  honor  from  men, 
but  I  know  well  that  you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  your 
hearts.  I  have  come  in  my  Father’s  name,  and  you  refuse 
to  accept  me.  If  someone  else  comes  in  his  own  name  you 
will  accept  him.  Yet  how  can  you  believe  in  me,  when 
you  accept  honor  from  one  another,  instead  of  seeking  the 
honor  that  comes  from  the  one  God  ?  Do  not  suppose  that 
I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father.  Moses  is  your  accuser — 
Moses,  on  whom  you  have  fixed  your  hopes!  For  if  you 
really  believed  Moses,  you  would  believe  me,  for  it  was  about 
me  that  he  wrote.  But  if  you  refuse  to  believe  what  he  wrote, 
how  are  you  ever  to  believe  what  I  say  ?” 

After  this  Jesus  went  to  the  other  side  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  or  Tiberias,  and  a  great  crowd  followed  him,  because 
they  could  see  the  signs  he  showed  in  what  he  did  for  the  sick. 
But  Jesus  went  up  on  the  hill,  and  sat  down  there  with  his 
disciples.  Now  the  Jewish  festival  of  the  Passover  was 
coming.  So  Jesus,  raising  his  eyes  and  seeing  that  a  great 
crowd  was  coming  up  to  him,  said  to  Philip, 

“Where  can  we  buy  food  for  these  people  to  eat  ?” 

Now  he  said  this  to  test  him,  for  he  knew  what  he  meant 
to  do.  Philip  answered, 

“Forty  dollars’  worth  of  bread  would  not  be  enough  for 
each  of  them  to  have  even  a  little.” 

Andrew,  Simon  Peter’s  brother,  another  of  his  disciples, 
said  to  him, 

“There  is  a  boy  here  who  has  five  barley  loaves  and  a 
couple  of  fish,  but  what  is  that  among  so  many  people  ?” 

Jesus  said, 

“Make  the  people  sit  down.” 

There  was  plenty  of  grass  there,  so  the  men  threw  them¬ 
selves  down,  about  five  thousand  of  them.  Then  Jesus  took 
the  loaves,  and  gave  thanks,  and  distributed  them  among 
the  people  who  were  resting  on  the  ground,  and  in  the  same 
way  as  much  of  the  fish  as  they  wanted.  When  they  were 
satisfied,  he  said  to  his  disciples, 

“Pick  up  the  pieces  that  are  left,  so  that  nothing  may 
be  wasted.” 


5:40-6: 12 


1 86 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


So  they  picked  them  up,  and  they  filled  twelve  baskets 
with  pieces  of  the  five  barley  loaves  that  were  left  after  the 
people  had  eaten. 

When  the  people  saw  the  signs  that  he  showed,  they  said, 

“This  is  really  the  Prophet  who  was  to  come  into  the 
world!” 

So  Jesus,  seeing  that  they  meant  to  come  and  carry  him  off 
to  make  him  king,  retired  again  to  the  hill  by  himself. 

But  in  the  evening  his  disciples  went  down  to  the  sea 
and  got  into  a  boat  and  started  across  the  sea  for  Capernaum. 
By  this  time  it  was  dark,  and  Jesus  had  not  yet  joined  them; 
a  strong  wind  was  blowing  and  the  sea  was  growing  rough. 

When  they  had  rowed  three  or  four  miles,  they  saw  Jesus 
walking  on  the  sea  and  approaching  the  boat,  and  they  were 
terrified.  But  he  said  to  them, 

“It  is  I;  do  not  be  afraid!” 

Then  as  soon  as  they  consented  to  take  him  into  the 
boat,  the  boat  was  at  the  shore  they  had  been  trying  to  reach. 

Next  day  the  people  who  had  stayed  on  the  other  side 
of  the  sea  saw  that  there  had  been  only  one  boat  there,  and 
that  Jesus  had  not  embarked  in  it  with  his  disciples,  but  that 
the  disciples  had  gone  away  by  themselves.  But  some  boats 
from  Tiberias  landed  near  the  place  where  they  had  eaten 
the  bread  after  Jesus  had  given  thanks  for  it.  So  when  the 
people  saw  that  neither  Jesus  nor  his  disciples  were  any  longer 
there,  they  got  into  the  boats  and  went  to  Capernaum  in 
search  of  him.  And  when  they  had  crossed  the  sea  and 
found  him,  they  said  to  him, 

“When  did  you  get  here,  Master  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  tell  you,  it  is  not  because  of  the  signs  you  have  seen 
that  you  have  come  in  search  of  me,  but  because  you  ate  that 
bread  and  had  all  you  wanted  of  it.  You  must  not  work  for 
the  food  that  perishes,  but  for  that  which  lasts  for  eternal 
life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  will  give  you,  for  God  the  Father 
has  authorized  him  to  do  so.” 

Then  they  said  to  him, 

“What  must  we  do  to  carry  out  God’s  work  ?” 

Jesus  answered  them, 

6: 13— 29 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  187 

“The  work  God  has  for  you  is  to  believe  in  the  messenger 
that  he  has  sent  to  you.” 

Then  they  said  to  him, 

“Then  what  sign  do  you  show  for  us  to  see  and  so  come 
to  believe  you  ?  What  work  are  you  doing  ?  Our  forefathers 
in  the  desert  had  manna  to  eat;  as  the  Scripture  says,  ‘He 
gave  them  bread  out  of  heaven  to  eat!’  ” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“I  tell  you,  Moses  did  not  give  you  the  bread  out  of 
heaven,  but  my  Father  gives  you  the  bread  out  of  heaven, 
for  it  is  God’s  bread  that  comes  down  out  of  heaven  and  gives 
life  to  the  world.” 

Then  they  said  to  him, 

“Give  us  that  bread  always,  sir!” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  I  am  the  bread  that  gives  life.  No  one  who  comes  to  me 
will  ever  be  hungry,  and  no  one  who  believes  in  me  will  ever 
be  thirsty.  But  as  I  have  told  you,  although  you  have  seen 
me,  you  will  not  believe.  All  that  my  Father  gives  to  me 
will  come  to  me,  and  I  will  never  refuse  anyone  who  comes 
to  me,  for  I  have  come  down  from  heaven  not  to  do  what  I 
please  but  what  pleases  him  who  has  sent  me.  And  the 
purpose  of  him  who  has  sent  me  is  this,  that  I  should  lose 
nothing  of  all  that  he  has  given  me,  but  should  raise  them  to 
life  on  the  Last  Day.  For  it  is  the  purpose  of  my  Father 
that  everyone  who  sees  the  Son  and  believes  in  him  shall 
have  eternal  life,  and  that  I  shall  raise  him  to  life  on  the 
Last  Day.” 

The  Jews  complained  of  him  for  saying,  “I  am  the  bread 
that  has  come  down  out  of  heaven,”  and  they  said, 

“Is  he  not  Joseph’s  son,  Jesus,  whose  father  and  mother 
we  know  ?  How  can  he  now  say,  ‘I  have  come  down  out  of 
heaven ’ ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  Do  not  complain  to  one  another.  No  one  can  come  to 
me  unless  the  Father  who  sent  me  draws  him  to  me;  then  I 
myself  will  raise  him  to  life  on  the  Last  Day.  In  the  prophets 
it  is  written,  ‘And  all  men  will  be  taught  by  God!’  Everyone 
who  listens  to  the  Father  and  learns  from  him  will  come  to 

6:30^45 


1 88 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


me.  Not  that  anyone  has  ever  seen  the  Father,  except  him 
who  is  from  God;  he  has  seen  the  Father.  I  tell  you,  whoever 
believes  already  possesses  eternal  life.  I  am  the  bread  that 
gives  life.  Your  forefathers  in  the  desert  ate  the  manna 
and  yet  they  died.  But  here  is  bread  that  comes  down  out  of 
heaven,  and  no  one  who  eats  it  will  ever  die.  I  am  this  living 
bread  that  has  come  down  out  of  heaven.  Whoever  eats  this 
bread  will  live  forever,  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  for  the 
world’s  life  is  my  own  flesh!” 

This  led  the  Jews  to  dispute  with  one  another.  They 
said, 

“How  can  he  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?” 

Then  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  I  tell  you,  if  you  do  not  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man 
and  drink  his  blood,  you  have  no  self-existent  life.  Whoever 
lives  on  my  flesh  and  drinks  my  blood  possesses  eternal  life, 
and  I  will  raise  him  to  life  on  the  Last  Day.  For  my  flesh  is 
real  food  and  my  blood  is  real  drink.  Whoever  lives  on  my 
flesh  and  drinks  my  blood  remains  united  to  me  and  I  remain 
united  to  him.  Just  as  the  living  Father  has  sent  me,  and 
I  live  because  of  the  Father,  so  he  who  lives  on  me  will  live 
because  of  me.  This  is  the  bread  that  has  come  down  out 
of  heaven — not  like  that  which  your  forefathers  ate  and  yet 
died.  Whoever  lives  on  this  bread  will  live  forever.” 

Jesus  said  all  this  while  he  was  teaching  in  the  synagogue 
at  Capernaum. 

Many  of  his  disciples  on  hearing  it  said, 

“This  is  a  harsh  teaching!  Who  can  listen  to  it  ?” 

But  Jesus,  knowing  that  his  disciples  were  complaining 
about  this,  said  to  them, 

“Does  this  stagger  you  ?  Then  what  if  you  see  the  Son 
of  Man  go  up  where  he  was  before  ?  The  Spirit  is  what  gives 
life;  flesh  is  of  no  use  at  all.  The  things  that  I  have  said  to 
you  are  spirit  and  they  are  life.  Yet  there  are  some  of  you 
who  will  not  believe.”  For  Jesus  knew  from  the  first  who 
would  not  believe,  and  who  was  going  to  betray  him.  And 
he  added, 

“  This  is  why  I  said  to  you,  ‘  No  one  can  come  to  me  unless 
he  is  enabled  to  do  so  by  the  Father.’  ” 

6:46-65 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  189 


In  consequence  of  this  many  of  his  disciples  drew  back 
and  would  not  go  about  with  him  any  longer.  So  Jesus  said 
to  the  Twelve, 

“  Do  you  mean  to  go  away  too  ?” 

Simon  Peter  answered, 

“To  whom  can  we  go,  sir  ?  You  have  a  message  of 
eternal  life,  and  we  believe  and  are  satisfied  that  you  are  the 
Holy  One  of  God.” 

Jesus  answered  them, 

“  Did  I  not  myself  select  all  twelve  of  you  ?  And  even 
of  you,  one  is  an  informer.”  He  meant  Judas  the  son  of 
Simon  Iscariot,  for  he,  though  he  was  one  of  the  Twelve,  was 
going  to  betray  him. 

After  this  Jesus  went  from  place  to  place  in  Galilee,  for 
he  would  not  do  so  in  Judea,  because  the  Jews  were  making 
efforts  to  kill  him.  But  the  Jewish  camping  festival  was 
coming.  So  his  brothers  said  to  him, 

“You  ought  to  leave  here  and  go  to  Juctea,  to  let  your 
disciples  also  see  the  things  you  are  doing.  For  no  one  acts 
in  secret  when  he  desires  to  be  publicly  known.  If  you  are 
going  to  do  these  things,  let  the  world  see  you.”  For  even 
his  brothers  did  not  believe  in  him.  Then  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“It  is  not  yet  time  for  me  to  act,  but  any  time  is  suitable 
for  you.  It  is  impossible  for  the  world  to  hate  you,  but  it 
does  hate  me  for  testifying  that  its  ways  are  wrong.  As  for 
you,  go  up  to  the  festival;  I  am  not  going  up  to  this  festival 
as  yet,  for  it  is  not  quite  time  for  me  to  go.” 

That  was  what  he  told  them,  and  he  stayed  on  in  Galilee. 

But  after  his  brothers  had  gone  up  to  the  festival,  then 
Jesus  went  up  also,  not  publicly,  but  as  though  he  did  not  wish 
to  be  observed.  Now  the  Jews  were  looking  for  him  at  the 
festival  and  asking  where  he  was,  and  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
muttering  about  him  among  the  crowds,  some  saying  that  he 
was  a  good  man,  and  others  that  he  was  not,  but  was  imposing 
on  the  people.  But  no  one  spoke  of  him  in  public,  for  fear 
of  the  Jews. 

But  when  the  festival  was  half  over,  Jesus  went  up  to  the 
Temple  and  began  to  teach.  This  astonished  the  Jews. 

6:66-7: 15 


190 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“How  is  it  that  this  man  can  read  ?”  they  said,  “when 
he  has  never  gone  to  school  ?” 

So  Jesus  answered, 

“My  teaching  is  not  my  own;  it  comes  from  him  who  has 
sent  me.  Anyone  who  resolves  to  do  his  will  will  know 
whether  my  teaching  comes  from  God,  or  originates  with  me. 
Whoever  speaks  simply  for  himself  is  looking  for  honor  for 
himself,  but  whoever  looks  for  honor  for  the  person  who  has 
sent  him  shows  his  sincerity;  there  is  no  dishonesty  about 
him.  Was  it  not  Moses  who  gave  you  the  Law  ?  Yet  not 
one  of  you  obeys  the  Law.  Why  are  you  trying  to  kill  me  ?” 

The  crowd  answered, 

“You  must  be  possessed!  Who  is  trying  to  kill  you  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  have  done  just  one  deed,  and  you  are  all  astonished  at 
it.  Yet  Moses  gave  you  the  right  of  circumcision — not  that 
it  began  with  Moses  but  with  your  forefathers — and  you 
practice  it  even  on  the  Sabbath.  But  if  a  person  undergoes 
circumcision  on  a  Sabbath,  to  avoid  breaking  the  Law  of 
Moses,  are  you  angry  at  me  for  making  a  man  perfectly  well 
on  a  Sabbath  ?  You  must  not  judge  so  externally;  you  must 
judge  justly!” 

Some  of  the  people  of  Jerusalem  said, 

“Is  not  this  the  man  they  want  to  kill  ?  And  here  he  is 
speaking  publicly,  and  they  say  nothing  to  him!  Can  the 
authorities  really  have  found  that  he  is  the  Christ  ?  But 
then,  we  know  where  this  man  comes  from,  but  when  the 
Christ  comes,  no  one  will  know  where  he  is  from.” 

So  Jesus,  as  he  was  teaching  in  the  Temple,  cried  out, 

“You  do  know  me  and  you  do  know  where  I  come  from, 
and  I  have  not  come  of  my  own  accord  but  someone  who 
is  very  real,  whom  you  do  not  know,  has  sent  me.  I  do 
know  him,  because  I  come  from  him,  and  he  has  sent  me 
here.” 

Then  they  tried  to  arrest  him,  and  yet  no  one  laid  hands 
on  him,  because  he  was  not  yet  ready.  But  many  of  the 
people  believed  in  him,  and  said, 

“Will  the  Christ  show  more  signs  when  he  comes  than 
this  man  has  shown  ?” 

7:16-31 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  191 


The  Pharisees  heard  the  people  saying  these  things  about 
him  in  whispers,  and  the  high  priests  and  the  Pharisees  sent 
attendants  to  arrest  him.  Jesus  said, 

“I  am  to  be  with  you  a  little  while  longer,  and  then  I  am 
going  to  him  who  has  sent  me.  You  will  look  for  me  and 
you  will  not  find  me,  and  you  will  not  be  able  to  go  where  I 
shall  be.” 

Then  the  Jews  said  to  one  another, 

“Where  is  he  going,  that  we  shall  not  find  him  ?  Is  he 
going  to  our  people  scattered  among  the  Greeks,  and  will  he 
teach  the  Greeks  ?  What  does  he  mean  by  saying  ‘You 
will  look  for  me  and  you  will  not  find  me,  and  you  will 
not  be  able  to  go  where  I  shall  be  ’  ?” 

Now  on  the  last  day,  the  great  day  of  the  festival,  Jesus 
stood  up  and  cried  out, 

“If  anyone  is  thirsty,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink.  If 
anyone  believes  in  me,  streams  of  living  water,  as  the  Scripture 
says,  shall  flow  forth  from  his  heart.” 

He  meant  by  this  the  Spirit  which  those  who  believed  in 
him  were  to  receive — for  the  Spirit  had  not  yet  come,  because 
Jesus  had  not  yet  been  glorified.  So  some  of  the  people,  when 
they  heard  these  words,  said, 

“This  is  certainly  the  Prophet!” 

Others  said, 

“This  is  the  Christ!” 

But  they  rejoined, 

“What!  Is  the  Christ  to  come  from  Galilee?  Do  not 
the  Scriptures  say  that  the  Christ  is  to  spring  from  the 
descendants  of  David  and  to  come  from  the  village  of 
Bethlehem  where  David  lived  ?” 

So  the  people  were  divided  about  him,  and  some  of 
them  wanted  to  arrest  him,  yet  no  one  laid  hands  on 
him. 

The  attendants  went  back  to  the  high  priests  and 
Pharisees,  and  they  said  to  the  attendants, 

“Why  have  you  not  brought  him  ?” 

The  attendants  answered, 

“No  man  ever  talked  as  he  does!” 

The  Pharisees  answered, 


7:32-47 


ig2 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Have  you  been  imposed  upon  too?  Have  any  of  the 
authorities  or  of  the  Pharisees  believed  in  him  ?  But  these 
common  people  who  do  not  know  the  Law  are  doomed!” 

One  of  them,  Nicodemus,  who  had  previously  gone  to 
Jesus,  said  to  them, 

“  Does  our  Law  condemn  the  accused  without  first  hearing 
what  he  has  to  say,  and  finding  out  what  he  has  done  ?” 

They  answered, 

“Are  you  from  Galilee  too?  Study  and  you  will  find 
that  no  prophet  is  to  appear  from  Galilee.” 

Then  Jesus  spoke  to  them  again  and  said, 

“I  am  the  light  of  the  world.  Whoever  follows  me  will 
not  have  to  walk  in  darkness  but  will  have  the  light  of  life.” 

The  Pharisees  said  to  him, 

“You  are  testifying  to  yourself.  Your  testimony  is  not 

y  > 

true. 

Jesus  answered, 

“Even  if  I  am  testifying  to  myself,  my  testimony  is  true, 
for  I  know  where  I  have  come  from  and  where  I  am  going; 
but  you  do  not  know  where  I  come  from  or  where  I  am  going. 
You  judge  by  material  standards,  but  I  am  judging  nobody. 
But  even  if  I  do  judge,  my  decision  is  just,  because  I  am  not 
by  myself,  but  the  Father  who  sent  me  is  with  me.  Why, 
in  your  own  Law  it  is  stated  that  the  testimony  of  two 
persons  is  valid.  Here  I  am  testifying  to  myself,  and  the 
Father  who  has  sent  me  testifies  to  me.” 

Then  they  said  to  him, 

“Where  is  your  Father  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“You  do  not  know  either  me  or  my  Father.  If  you  knew 
me,  you  would  know  my  Father  too.” 

He  said  these  things  in  the  treasury,  as  he  was  teaching 
in  the  Temple,  and  no  one  arrested  him,  because  he  was  not  yet 
ready. 

Then  he  said  to  them  again, 

“  I  am  going  away,  and  you  will  look  for  me,  but  you  will 
die  in  the  midst  of  your  sin.  You  cannot  come  where  I  am 
going.” 

So  the  Jews  said, 

7:48-8:22 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  193 


“Is  he  going  to  kill  himself,  and  is  that  why  he  says, 
‘You  cannot  come  where  I  am  going’  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“You  are  from  below;  I  am  from  above.  You  belong  to 
this  world;  I  do  not  belong  to  this  world.  That  is  why  I  said 
to  you  that  you  would  die  in  the  midst  of  your  sins,  for  unless 
you  believe  that  I  am  what  I  say,  you  will  die  in  the  midst  of 
your  sins.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Who  are  you  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  Why  do  I  even  talk  to  you  at  all  ?  I  have  a  great  deal  to 
say  about  you  and  to  condemn  in  you,  yet  he  who  sent  me  is 
truthful,  and  the  things  that  I  say  to  the  world  are  things 
that  I  have  learned  from  him.” 

They  did  not  understand  that  he  was  speaking  to  them  of 
the  Father.  So  Jesus  said, 

“When  you  lift  the  Son  of  Man  up  in  the  air,  then  you 
will  know  that  I  am  what  I  say,  and  that  I  do  nothing  of  my 
own  accord,  but  speak  as  the  Father  has  instructed  me.  And 
he  who  has  sent  me  is  with  me;  he  has  not  left  me  alone,  for 
I  always  do  what  pleases  him.” 

As  he  said  this,  many  believed  in  him. 

So  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews  who  had  believed  in  him, 

“If  you  abide  by  what  I  teach,  you  are  really  disciples 
of  mine,  and  you  will  know  the  truth  and  the  truth  will  set 
you  free.” 

They  answered, 

“We  are  descended  from  Abraham,  and  have  never  been 
anyone’s  slaves.  How  can  you  say  to  us,‘Y ou  will  be  set  free’  r” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  tell  you,  everyone  who  commits  sin  is  a  slave  to  sin. 
Now  a  slave  does  not  belong  to  a  household  permanently; 
but  a  son  does.  So  if  the  Son  sets  you  free  you  will  be  really 
free.  I  know  that  you  are  descended  from  Abraham,  yet  you 
want  to  kill  me,  because  there  is  no  room  in  your  hearts  for 
my  teaching.  It  is  what  I  have  seen  in  the  presence  of  my 
Father  that  I  tell,  and  it  is  what  you  have  heard  from  your 
father  that  you  do.” 


8:23-38 


194 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


They  answered, 

“Our  father  is  Abraham.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“If  you  are  Abraham’s  children,  then  do  what  Abraham 
did.  But  instead  you  are  trying  to  kill  me,  a  man  who  has 
told  you  the  truth  he  has  heard  from  God.  Abraham  would 
not  have  done  that.  You  are  doing  as  your  father  does.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“We  are  not  illegitimate  children.  We  have  one  father, 
God  himself.” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“If  God  were  your  father,  you  would  love  me,  for  I  have 
come  from  God.  I  have  not  come  of  my  own  accord,  but  he 
has  sent  me.  Why  is  it  that  you  do  not  understand  what 
I  say  ?  It  is  because  you  cannot  bear  to  listen  to  my  message. 
The  devil  is  the  father  you  are  sprung  from,  and  you  want  to 
carry  out  your  father’s  wishes.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the 
first,  and  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  truth,  for  there  is  no 
truth  in  him.  When  he  tells  a  lie,  he  speaks  in  his  true 
character,  for  he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  them.  But 
because  I  tell  the  truth  you  will  not  believe  me.  Who  among 
you  can  prove  me  guilty  of  sin  ?  But  if  I  tell  you  the  truth, 
why  do  you  refuse  to  believe  me  ?  Whoever  is  sprung  from 
God  listens  to  God’s  words.  The  reason  you  refuse  to  listen 
is  that  you  are  not  sprung  from  God.” 

The  Jews  answered, 

“Are  we  not  right  in  saying  that  you  are  a  Samaritan 
and  are  possessed  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  am  not  possessed,  but  I  have  respect  for  my  Father, 
and  you  have  no  respect  for  me.  But  I  do  not  seek  honor  for 
myself;  there  is  someone  who  seeks  it  for  me,  and  is  the  judge 
of  it.  I  tell  you,  if  anyone  observes  my  teaching,  he  will  never 
experience  death.” 

The  Jews  said  to  him, 

“Now  we  are  sure  that  you  are  possessed!  Abraham  is 
dead  and  so  are  the  prophets,  and  yet  you  say,  ‘If  anyone 
observes  my  teaching,  he  will  never  know  what  death  is!’ 
Are  you  a  greater  man  than  our  forefather  Abraham  ?  Yet 

8:39-53 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  195 

he  is  dead  and  the  prophets  are  dead.  What  do  you  claim 
to  be?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“If  I  show  special  honor  to  myself,  such  honor  counts  for 
nothing.  It  is  my  Father  who  shows  me  honor.  You  say  he 
is  your  God,  yet  you  have  never  come  to  know  him.  But 
I  know  him.  If  I  say  I  do  not  know  him,  I  will  be  a  liar  like 
yourselves.  No!  I  do  know  him,  and  I  am  faithful  to  his 
message.  Your  forefather  Abraham  exulted  at  the  thought 
of  seeing  my  coming.  He  has  seen  it,  and  it  has  made 
him  glad.” 

The  Jews  said  to  him, 

“You  are  not  fifty  years  old,  and  have  you  seen 
Abraham  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“  I  tell  you,  I  existed  before  Abraham  was  born !” 

At  that,  the  Jews  picked  up  stones  to  throw  at  him,  but 
he  disappeared  and  made  his  way  out  of  the  Temple. 

As  he  passed  along,  he  saw  a  man  who  had  been  blind 
from  his  birth.  His  disciples  asked  him, 

“Master,  for  whose  sin  was  this  man  born  blind  ?  For 
his  own,  or  for  that  of  his  parents  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“It  was  neither  for  his  own  sin  nor  for  that  of  his  parents, 
but  to  let  what  God  can  do  be  illustrated  in  his  case.  We 
must  carry  on  the  work  of  him  who  has  sent  me  while  the 
daylight  lasts.  Night  is  coming,  when  no  one  can  do  any  work. 
As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world,  I  am  a  light  for  the  world.” 

As  he  said  this  he  spat  on  the  ground  and  made  clay 
with  the  saliva,  and  he  put  the  clay  on  the  man’s  eyes,  and 
said  to  him, 

“Go  and  wash  them  in  the  Pool  of  Siloam” — a  name 
which  means  One  who  has  been  sent.  So  he  went  and  washed 
them,  and  went  home  able  to  see. 

Then  his  neighbors  and  people  who  had  formerly  seen  him 
begging,  said, 

“Is  not  this  the  man  who  used  to  sit  and  beg  ?” 

Some  said, 

“Yes!  It  is  he!” 


8:54-9:9 


196  the  new  testament 


Others  said, 

“No!  but  he  looks  like  him.” 

He  himself  said, 

“I  am  the  man.” 

So  they  said  to  him, 

“Then  how  does  it  happen  that  you  can  see  ?” 

He  answered, 

“The  man  they  call  Jesus  made  some  clay  and  rubbed  it 
on  my  eyes,  and  said  to  me,  ‘Go  to  Siloam  and  wash  them.’ 
So  I  went  and  when  I  had  washed  them  I  could  see.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“Where  is  he?” 

He  answered, 

“I  do  not  know.” 

They  took  the  man  who  had  been  blind  to  the  Pharisees. 
Now  it  was  on  the  Sabbath  that  Jesus  had  made  the  clay  and 
made  him  able  to  see.  So  once  more  the  Pharisees  asked 
him  how  he  had  become  able  to  see,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“He  put  some  clay  on  my  eyes,  and  I  washed  them,  and 
I  can  see.” 

Then  some  of  the  Pharisees  said, 

“This  man  does  not  come  from  God,  for  he  does  not  keep 
the  Sabbath.” 

But  others  said, 

“How  can  a  sinful  man  show  such  signs  as  this  ?” 

And  there  was  a  division  of  opinion  among  them.  So 
they  asked  the  blind  man  again, 

“What  have  you  to  say  about  him,  because  he  has  made 
you  able  to  see  ?” 

He  said, 

“He  is  a  prophet!” 

But  the  Jews  would  not  believe  that  he  had  been  blind 
and  had  become  able  to  see  until  they  summoned  the  parents 
of  the  man  who  had  been  given  his  sight,  and  asked  them, 

“  Is  this  your  son,  who  you  say  was  born  blind  ?  How 
is  it  that  he  can  see  now  ?” 

His  parents  answered, 

“We  know  that  this  is  our  son,  and  that  he  was  born  blind. 
But  we  do  not  know  how  it  is  that  he  can  see  now,  or  who  has 


9: 10-21 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  197 


made  him  able  to  see.  You  must  ask  him.  He  is  grown  up. 
Let  him  tell  you  about  himself.” 

His  parents  said  this  because  they  were  afraid  of  the  Jews, 
for  the  Jews  had  already  made  an  agreement  that  if  anyone 
acknowledged  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  he  should  be  excluded  from 
the  synagogues.  That  was  why  his  parents  said,  “He  is 
grown  up;  you  must  ask  him.”  So  they  again  summoned 
the  man  who  had  been  blind,  and  they  said  to  him, 

“Give  God  the  praise.  This  man  we  know  is  a  sinful 
man.” 

He  answered, 

“  I  do  not  know  aoout  his  being  a  sinful  man.  All  I  know 
is  that  I  was  blind  before  and  now  I  can  see.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“What  did  he  do  to  you  ?  How  did  he  make  you  able  to 
see  r 

He  answered, 

“I  have  already  told  you  and  you  would  not  listen. 
Why  do  you  want  to  hear  it  again  ?  Do  you  want  to  become 
disciples  of  his  too  ?” 

Then  they  sneered  at  him,  and  said, 

“You  are  a  disciple  of  his  yourself,  but  we  are  disciples 
of  Moses.  We  know  that  God  spoke  to  Moses,  but  we  do  not 
know  where  this  man  came  from.” 

The  man  answered, 

“There  is  something  very  strange  about  this!  You  do 
not  know  where  he  came  from,  and  yet  he  has  made  me  able 
to  see!  We  know  that  God  does  not  listen  to  sinful  people, 
but  if  a  man  is  devout  and  obeys  God,  God  will  listen  to  him. 
It  was  never  heard  of  in  this  world  that  anyone  made  a  man 
born  blind  able  to  see.  If  this  man  were  not  from  God,  he 
could  not  do  anything.” 

They  answered, 

“You  were  born  in  utter  sin,  and  are  you  trying  to 
teach  us  ?” 

So  they  excluded  him  from  the  synagogue. 

Jesus  learned  that  they  had  excluded  him,  and  he  found 
the  man  and  said  to  him, 

“  Do  you  believe  in  the  Son  of  Man  ?” 


9:22-35 


198 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


The  man  answered, 

“Who  is  he,  sir  ?  Tell  me,  so  that  I  may  believe  in  him.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“You  have  seen  him  already,  and  it  is  he  who  is  now 
talking  to  you.” 

And  he  said, 

“I  believe,  sir!”  and  he  fell  on  his  knees  before  him. 

And  Jesus  said, 

“I  have  come  into  this  world  to  judge  men,  that  those 
who  cannot  see  may  see,  and  that  those  who  can  see  may 
become  blind.” 

Some  Pharisees  who  were  present  heard  this,  and  they 
said  to  him, 

“Then  are  we  blind  too  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“If  you  were  blind,  you  would  be  guilty  of  no  sin,  but  as 
it  is,  you  say  ‘We  can  see’;  so  your  sin  continues. 

“I  tell  you,  any  man  who  does  not  enter  the  sheepfold  by 
the  door,  but  climbs  over  at  some  other  place,  is  a  thief  and 
robber.  But  the  man  who  enters  by  the  door  is  the  shepherd 
of  the  flock.  The  watchman  opens  the  door  to  him,  and  the 
sheep  obey  his  voice,  and  he  calls  to  his  own  sheep  and  leads 
them  out.  When  he  gets  his  own  flock  all  out,  he  goes  in  front 
of  them,  and  the  sheep  follow  him,  because  they  know  his 
voice.  But  they  will  never  follow  a  stranger  but  will  run 
away  from  him,  because  they  do  not  know  the  voices  of 
strangers.” 

This  was  the  figure  Jesus  used  in  speaking  to  them,  but 
they  did  not  understand  what  he  meant  by  it. 

So  Jesus  said  again, 

“  I  tell  you,  I  am  the  door  of  the  sheepfold.  All  who  have 
come  before  me  are  thieves  and  robbers,  but  the  sheep  would 
not  obey  them.  I  am  the  door.  Whoever  enters  through  me 
will  be  saved,  and  will  pass  in  and  out  and  find  pasture. 
A  thief  comes  only  to  steal  and  kill  and  destroy;  I  have  come 
to  let  them  have  life,  and  to  let  them  have  it  in  abundance. 
I  am  the  good  shepherd.  A  good  shepherd  will  give  his  life 
for  his  sheep.  A  hired  man  who  is  not  a  shepherd  and  does 
not  own  the  sheep,  when  he  sees  a  wolf  coming,  will  leave  the 

9:36-10: 12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


199 


sheep  and  run  away,  and  the  wolf  will  carry  them  off  and 
scatter  the  flock.  For  he  is  only  a  hired  man,  and  does  not 
care  about  the  sheep.  I  am  the  good  shepherd.  I  know  my 
sheep  and  my  sheep  know  me,  just  as  the  Father  knows  me 
and  I  know  the  Father,  and  I  am  giving  my  life  for  my  sheep. 
I  have  other  sheep  too  that  do  not  belong  to  this  fold.  I 
must  lead  them  too,  and  they  will  obey  my  voice,  and  they  will 
all  become  one  flock,  with  one  shepherd.  This  is  why  the 
Father  loves  me,  because  I  am  giving  my  life,  but  giving  it 
to  take  it  back  again.  No  one  has  taken  it  from  me,  but  I  am 
giving  it  of  my  own  accord.  I  have  power  to  give  it,  and  I 
have  power  to  take  it  back  again.  These  are  the  orders  I  have 
received  from  my  Father.” 

These  words  caused  a  fresh  division  of  opinion  among 
the  Jews.  Many  of  them  said, 

“He  is  possessed  and  mad!  Why  do  you  listen  to  him  ?” 

Others  said, 

“These  are  not  the  words  of  a  man  who  is  possessed. 
Can  a  madman  make  blind  men  see  ?” 

That  was  the  time  of  the  Rededication  Festival  at 
Jerusalem.  It  was  winter  time  and  Jesus  was  walking  up 
and  down  inside  the  Temple,  in  Solomon’s  Colonnade.  So 
the  Jews  gathered  around  him  and  said  to  him, 

“How  much  longer  are  you  going  to  keep  us  in  suspense  ? 
If  you  are  really  the  Christ,  tell  us  so  frankly!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  have  told  you  so,  and  you  will  not  believe  it.  The 
things  I  have  been  doing  by  my  Father’s  authority  are  my 
credentials,  but  you  do  not  believe  it  because  you  do  not 
belong  to  my  sheep.  My  sheep  listen  to  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them  and  they  follow  me,  and  I  give  them  eternal  life,  and  they 
shall  never  be  lost,  and  no  one  shall  tear  them  out  of  my  hands. 
What  my  Father  has  intrusted  to  me  is  of  more  importance 
than  everything  else,  and  no  one  can  tear  anything  out  of  the 
Father’s  hands.  The  Father  and  I  are  one.” 

The  Jews  again,  picked  up  stones  to  stone  him  with. 
Jesus  answered, 

“I  have  let  you  see  many  good  things  from  the  Father; 
which  of  them  do  you  mean  to  stone  me  for  ?” 


10:13-32 


200 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


The  Jews  answered, 

“We  are  not  stoning  you  for  doing  anything  good,  but  for 
your  impious  talk,  and  because  you,  a  mere  man,  make 
yourself  out  to  be  God.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Is  it  not  declared  in  your  Law,  ‘I  said,  “You  are 
gods”  ’  ?  If  those  to  whom  God’s  message  was  addressed  were 
called  gods — and  the  Scripture  cannnot  be  set  aside — do  you 
mean  to  say  to  me  whom  the  Father  has  consecrated  and 
made  his  messenger  to  the  world,  ‘You  are  blasphemous,’ 
because  I  said,  ‘I  am  God’s  Son’  ?  If  I  am  not  doing  the 
things  my  Father  does,  do  not  believe  me.  But  if  I  am  doing 
them,  then  even  if  you  will  not  believe  me,  believe  the  things 
I  do,  in  order  that  you  may  realize  and  learn  that  the  Father 
is  in  union  with  me,  and  I  am  in  union  with  the  Father.” 

In  consequence  of  this  they  again  tried  to  arrest  him, 
and  he  withdrew  out  of  their  reach. 

He  went  across  the  Jordan  again  to  the  place  where  John 
used  to  baptize  at  first,  and  there  he  stayed.  And  people 
came  to  him  in  great  numbers,  and  they  said  of  him, 

“John  did  not  show  any  sign  in  proof  of  his  mission, 
but  all  that  he  said  about  this  man  was  true.” 

And  many  became  believers  in  him  in  that  place. 

Now  a  man  named  Lazarus  was  sick;  he  lived  in  Bethany, 
the  village  of  Mary  and  her  sister  Martha.  It  was  the  Mary 
who  poured  perfume  upon  the  Master  and  wiped  his  feet  with 
her  hair,  whose  brother  Lazarus  was  sick.  So  the  sisters  sent 
this  message  to  Jesus:  “Master,  your  friend  is  sick.”  When 
Jesus  received  it  he  said, 

“This  sickness  is  not  to  end  in  death,  but  is  for  the  honor 
of  God,  that  through  it  the  Son  of  God  may  be  honored.” 

Jesus  loved  Martha  and  her  sister  and  Lazarus.  So 
when  he  heard  that  Lazarus  was  sick,  he  stayed  on  for 
two  days  in  the  place  where  he  was,  and  then  afterward  said 
to  his  disciples, 

“Let  us  go  back  to  Judea.” 

The  disciples  said  to  him, 

“Master,  the  Jews  have  just  been  trying  to  stone  you, 
and  are  you  going  back  there  again  ?” 

10:33-11:8 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


201 


Jesus  answered, 

“Is  not  the  day  twelve  hours  long  ?  If  a  man  travels  by 
day  he  will  not  stumble,  for  he  can  see  the  light  of  this  world; 
but  if  he  travels  at  night  he  will  stumble  because  he  has  no 
light.” 

He  told  them  this,  and  then  he  added, 

“Our  friend  Lazarus  has  fallen  asleep,  but  I  am  going  there 
to  wake  him.” 

The  disciples  said  to  him, 

“Master,  if  he  has  fallen  asleep  he  will  recover.” 

Now  Jesus  had  referred  to  his  death.  But  they  supposed 
that  he  meant  a  natural  falling  asleep.  So  Jesus  then  told 
them  plainly, 

“Lazarus  is  dead,  and  for  your  sake  I  am  glad  that  I  was 
not  there,  so  that  you  may  learn  to  believe  in  me.  But  let 
us  go  to  him.” 

So  Thomas  the  Twin  said  to  his  fellow-disciples, 

“Let  us  go  also,  and  die  with  him.” 

When  Jesus  arrived  he  found  that  Lazarus  had  been 
buried  for  four  days.  Now  Bethany  is  only  about  two  miles 
from  Jerusalem,  and  a  number  of  Jews  had  come  out  to  see 
Mary  and  Martha,  to  condole  with  them  about  their  brother. 
When  Martha  heard  that  Jesus  was  coming  she  went  out  to 
meet  him,  but  Mary  remained  at  home.  Martha  said  to  Jesus, 

“  Master,  if  you  had  been  here,  my  brother  would  not  have 
died!  Even  now  I  know  that  anything  you  ask  God  for,  he 
will  give  you.” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“Your  brother  will  rise.” 

Martha  said  to  him, 

“I  know  that  he  will  rise  at  the  resurrection,  on  the 
Last  Day.” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“  I  myself  am  Resurrection  and  Life.  He  who  believes  in 
me  will  live  on,  even  if  he  dies,  and  no  one  who  is  alive  and 
believes  in  me  will  ever  die.  Do  you  believe  that  ?” 

She  said  to  him, 

“Yes,  Master,  I  do  indeed  believe  that  you  are  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  to  come  into  the  world.” 


11:9-27 


202 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


With  these  words  she  went  and  called  her  sister  Mary, 
whispering  to  her, 

“Here  is  the  Master,  asking  for  you.” 

When  she  heard  it  she  sprang  up  and  went  to  him, 
for  Jesus  had  not  yet  come  into  the  village,  but  was  still  at  the 
place  where  Martha  had  met  him.  The  Jews  who  were  sitting 
with  her  in  the  house,  condoling  with  her,  when  they  saw 
Mary  spring  up  and  go  out,  supposed  that  she  was  going  to 
weep  at  the  tomb,  and  followed  her.  When  Mary  came 
where  Jesus  was  and  saw  him,  she  fell  at  his  feet,  and  said, 

“Master,  if  you  had  been  here,  my  brother  would  not 
have  died!” 

When  Jesus  saw  her  weep  and  the  Jews  who  had  come  with 
her  weeping  too,  repressing  a  groan,  and  yet  showing  great 
agitation,  he  said, 

“Where  have  you  laid  him  ?” 

They  answered, 

“Come  and  see,  Master.” 

Jesus  shed  tears.  So  the  Jews  said 

“See  how  much  he  loved  him!” 

But  some  of  them  said, 

“Could  not  this  man,  who  opened  the  eyes  of  that  blind 
man,  have  kept  Lazarus  from  dying  ?” 

Again  repressing  a  groan,  Jesus  went  to  the  tomb.  It 
was  a  cave  with  a  stone  laid  against  the  mouth  of  it.  Jesus 
said, 

“Move  the  stone  away.” 

The  dead  man’s  sister,  Martha,  said  to  him, 

“  Master,  by  this  time  he  is  decaying,  for  he  has  been  dead 
four  days.” 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“Have  I  not  promised  you  that  if  you  will  believe  in  me 
you  will  see  the  glory  of  God  ?” 

So  they  moved  the  stone  away.  And  Jesus  looked 
upward  and  said, 

“Father,  I  thank  you  for  listening  to  me,  though  I  knew 
that  you  always  listen  to  me.  But  I  have  said  this  for  the 
sake  of  the  people  that  are  standing  around  me  that  they  may 
believe  that  you  have  made  me  your  messenger.” 

11:28-42 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  203 


After  saying  this  he  called  out  in  a  loud  voice, 

“Lazarus,  come  out!” 

The  dead  man  came  out,  bound  hand  and  foot  with 
wrappings,  and  with  his  face  muffled  with  a  handkerchief. 
Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Unbind  him  and  let  him  move.” 

So  it  came  about  that  many  of  the  Jews  who  had  come 
to  visit  Mary  and  saw  what  Jesus  did,  came  to  believe  in  him, 
but  some  of  them  went  back  to  the  Pharisees  and  told  them 
what  he  had  done. 

Then  the  high  priests  and  the  Pharisees  called  a  meeting 
of  the  council,  and  they  said, 

“What  are  we  to  do  about  the  fact  that  this  man  is 
showing  so  many  signs  ?  If  we  let  him  go  on,  everybody 
will  believe  in  him,  and  then  the  Romans  will  come  and 
put  an  end  to  our  holy  place  and  our  people.” 

But  one  of  them,  Caiaphas,  who  was  high  priest  that 
year,  said  to  them, 

“You  know  nothing  about  it.  You  do  not  realize  that 
it  is  to  your  interest  that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people, 
instead  of  the  whole  nation  being  destroyed.” 

Now  he  was  not  self-moved  in  saying  this,  but  as  high 
priest  for  that  year  he  was  inspired  to  say  that  Jesus  was  to  die 
for  the  nation — and  not  only  for  the  nation  but  also  for  the 
purpose  of  uniting  the  scattered  children  of  God.  So  from 
that  day  they  planned  to  kill  Jesus. 

In  consequence  of  this,  Jesus  did  not  appear  in  public 
among  the  Jews  any  longer,  but  he  left  that  neighborhood  and 
went  to  the  district  near  the  desert,  to  a  town  called  Ephraim, 
and  stayed  there  with  his  disciples.  Now  the  Jewish  Passover 
Festival  was  approaching  and  many  people  went  up  to  Jeru¬ 
salem  from  the  country,  to  purify  themselves  before  the 
Passover.  So  they  were  looking  for  Jesus  there,  and  asking 
one  another  as  they  stood  in  the  Temple, 

“What  do  you  think  ?  Do  you  think  he  will  not  come  to 
the  festival  at  all  ?” 

For  the  high  priests  and  the  Pharisees  had  given  orders 
that  anyone  who  found  out  where  he  was  should  let  them 
know,  so  that  they  might  arrest  him. 


HU3-57 


204 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Six  days  before  the  Passover  Jesus  came  to  Bethany,  where 
Lazarus,  whom  he  had  raised  from  the  dead,  was  living. 
They  gave  a  dinner  for  him  there,  and  Martha  waited  on  them, 
while  Lazarus  was  at  the  table  with  him.  And  Mary  took  a 
pound  of  choice  perfume,  very  costly,  and  poured  it  on  Jesus’ 
feet,  and  then  wiped  his  feet  with  her  hair,  and  the  whole 
house  was  filled  with  the  fragrance  of  the  perfume.  But 
Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  his  disciples,  who  was  going  to  betray 
him,  said, 

“Why  was  this  perfume  not  sold  for  sixty  dollars,  and  the 
money  given  to  the  poor  ?” 

But  he  did  not  say  this  because  he  cared  about  the  poor, 
but  because  he  was  a  thief  and  when  he  had  charge  of  the 
purse  he  used  to  take  what  was  put  in  it.  Jesus  said, 

“Let  her  alone;  let  her  keep  it  for  the  day  of  my  funeral, 
for  you  always  have  the  poor  among  you,  but  you  will  not 
always  have  me.” 

A  great  many  of  the  Jews  found  out  that  he  was  there,  and 
they  came  to  Bethany  not  only  to  see  Jesus  but  also  to  see 
Lazarus,  whom  he  had  raised  from  the  dead.  But  the  high 
priests  planned  to  kill  Lazarus  also,  for  because  of  him  many 
of  the  Jews  were  leaving  them  and  becoming  believers  in 
Jesus. 

On  the  following  day  the  crowds  that  had  come  up  to  the 
festival,  hearing  that  Jesus  was  coming  to  Jerusalem,  got 
palm  branches  and  went  out  to  meet  him,  shouting, 

“  God  bless  him ! 

God  bless  him  who  comes  in  the  Lord’s  name! 

Blessings  on  the  king  of  Israel!” 

And  Jesus  found  a  young  ass  and  mounted  it,  in  accordance 
with  the  Scripture, 

“Do  not  be  afraid,  Daughter  of  Zion! 

See,  your  king  is  coming  mounted  on  an  ass’s  colt!” 

His  disciples  did  not  understand  this  at  the  time  but 
after  Jesus  was  glorified  they  remembered  that  this  was  said 
ofh:m  in  Scripture  and  that  it  had  happened  to  him.  The 
crowd  that  had  been  with  him  when  he  called  Lazarus  out  of 
the  tomb  and  raised  him  from  the  dead  was  telling  about  it. 
That  was  why  the  crowd  went  out  to  meet  him,  because  they 

12:1-18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  205 


heard  that  he  had  showed  that  sign.  So  the  Pharisees  said 
to  one  another, 

“You  see,  you  cannot  do  anything!  The  whole  world 
has  run  after  him!” 

There  were  some  Greeks  among  those  who  had  come  up 
to  worship  at  the  festival,  and  they  went  to  Philip,  who  was 
from  Bethsaida  in  Galilee,  and  made  this  request  of  him: 

“Sir,  we  want  to  see  Jesus.” 

Philip  went  and  told  Andrew,  and  Andrew  and  Philip 
went  to  Jesus  and  told  him.  Jesus  answered, 

“The  time  has  come  for  the  Son  of  Man  to  be  glorified. 
I  tell  you,  unless  a  grain  of  wheat  falls  on  the  ground  and  dies, 
it  remains  just  one  grain.  But  if  it  dies,  it  yields  a  great 
harvest.  Whoever  loves  his  life  loses  it,  and  whoever  hates 
his  life  in  this  world  will  preserve  it  for  eternal  life.  If 
anyone  serves  me,  he  must  follow  me,  and  wherever  I  am 
found,  my  servant  must  be  also.  If  anyone  serves  me,  my 
Father  will  show  him  honor.  Now  my  heart  is  troubled; 
what  am  I  to  say  ?  Father,  save  me  from  this  trial!  And 
yet  it  was  for  this  very  purpose  that  I  have  come  to  this 
trial.  Father,  honor  your  own  name!” 

Then  there  came  a  voice  from  the  sky, 

“I  have  honored  it,  and  I  will  honor  it  again !’* 

The  crowd  of  bystanders  heard  it  and  said  it  was  thunder. 
Others  said, 

“It  was  an  angel  speaking  to  him!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“It  was  not  for  my  sake  that  the  voice  came,  but  for 
yours.  The  judgment  of  this  world  is  now  in  progress. 
Its  evil  genius  is  now  to  be  expelled,  and  if  I  am  lifted  up 
from  the  ground,  I  will  draw  all  men  to  myself.” 

He  said  this  to  show  the  kind  of  death  he  was  going  to 
die.  The  crowd  answered, 

“We  have  learned  from  the  Law  that  the  Christ  is  to 
remain  here  forever.  So  how  can  you  say  that  the  Son  of 
Man  must  be  lifted  up  ?  Who  is  this  Son  of  Man  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  them, 

“You  will  have  the  light  only  a  little  while  longer.  Go 
on  while  you  still  have  the  light,  so  that  darkness  may  not 

12:19-35 


20  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


overtake  you,  for  those  who  go  about  in  the  dark  do  not  know 
where  they  are  going.  While  you  have  the  light  believe 
in  the  light,  that  you  may  become  sons  of  light.” 

With  these  words  Jesus  went  away,  and  disappeared 
from  them.  But  for  all  the  signs  he  had  shown  among  them, 
they  refused  to  believe  in  him,  in  fulfilment  of  the  saying 
of  the  prophet  Isaiah, 

“Lord,  who  has  believed  our  account  ? 

And  to  whom  has  the  Lord’s  mighty  arm  been  unveiled  ?” 
So  they  could  not  believe;  for  Isaiah  says  again, 

“Tie  has  made  their  eyes  blind  and  their  minds  dull, 

To  keep  them  from  seeing  with  their  eyes,  and  under¬ 
standing  with  their  minds, 

And  turning  to  me  to  be  cured.” 

Isaiah  said  this  because  he  saw  his  glory;  it  was  of  him 
that  he  spoke.  Yet  for  all  that,  even  among  the  leading 
men,  many  came  to  believe  in  him,  but  on  account  of  the 
Pharisees  they  would  not  acknowledge  it,  for  fear  of  being 
excluded  from  the  synagogues,  for  they  cared  more  for  the 
approval  of  men  than  for  the  approval  of  God. 

But  Jesus  cried  loudly, 

“Whoever  believes  in  me,  believes  not  in  me  but  in  him 
who  has  sent  me;  and  whoever  sees  me,  sees  him  who  has 
sent  me.  I  have  come  into  the  world  as  a  light,  so  that  no  one 
who  believes  in  me  may  have  to  remain  in  darkness.  If 
anyone  hears  my  words  and  disregards  them,  it  is  not  I  that 
judge  him,  for  I  have  not  come  to  judge  the  world  but  to 
save  the  world.  Whoever  rejects  me  and  refuses  to  accept, 
my  teachings  is  not  without  his  judge;  the  very  message 
I  have  given  will  be  his  judge  on  the  Last  Day,  for  I  have  not 
spoken  on  my  own  account,  but  the  Father  who  has  sent  me 
has  himself  given  me  orders  what  to  tell  and  what  to  say. 
And  I  know  his  orders  mean  eternal  life.  So  whatever  I  say, 

I  say  only  as  the  Father  has  told  me.” 

Before  the  Passover  Festival  began,  Jesus  knew  that  the 
time  had  come  for  him  to  leave  this  world  and  go  to  the 
Father,  but  he  had  loved  those  who  were  his  own  in  the 
world,  and  he  loved  them  to  the  last.  So  at  supper — the 

12:36-13:2 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  207 


devil  having  by  this  time  put  the  thought  of  betraying  Jesus 
into  the  mind  of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon’s  son — Jesus,  fully 
aware  that  the  Father  had  put  everything  into  his  hands, 
and  that  he  had  come  from  God  and  was  going  back  to  God, 
rose  from  the  table,  took  off  his  outer  clothing,  and  fastened 
a  towel  about  his  waist.  Then  he  poured  water  into  the 
basin  and  began  to  wash  the  disciples’  feet,  wiping  them  with 
the  towel  that  was  about  his  waist.  So  he  came  to  Simon 
Peter.  He  said  to  him, 

“Master,  are  you  going  to  wash  my  feet  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“You  cannot  understand  now  what  I  am  doing,  but  you 
will  learn  by  and  by.” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“I  will  never  let  you  wash  my  feet!” 

Jesus  answered, 

“You  will  have  no  share  with  me  unless  I  wash  you.” 

Simon  Peter  said  to  him, 

“Master,  wash  not  only  my  feet  but  my  hands  and  my 
face  too!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Anyone  who  has  bathed  only  needs  to  have  his  feet 
washed  to  be  altogether  clean.  And  you  are  already  clean — 
though  not  all  of  you.”  For  he  knew  who  was  going  to  be¬ 
tray  him;  that  was  why  he  said, “You  are  not  all  of  you  clean.” 

When  he  had  washed  their  feet  and  put  on  his  clothes 
and  taken  his  place,  he  said  to  them  again, 

“Do  you  understand  what  I  have  been  doing  to  you  ? 
You  call  me  Teacher  and  Master,  and  you  are  right,  for 
that  is  what  I  am.  If  I  then,  your  Master  and  Teacher, 
have  washed  your  feet,  you  ought  to  wash  one  another’s  feet 
too.  For  I  have  set  you  an  example,  in  order  that  you  may 
do  what  I  have  done  to  you.  I  tell  you,  no  slave  is  superior 
to  his  master,  and  no  messenger  is  greater  than  the  man  who 
sends  him.  Now  that  you  have  this  knowledge,  you  will  be 
blessed  if  you  act  upon  it.  I  do  not  mean  all  of  you;  I  know 
whom  I  have  chosen;  but  let  the  Scripture  be  fulfilled: 

“  ‘He  who  is  eating  my  bread 
Has  raised  his  heel  against  me.’ 


13:3-18 


20  8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


From  now  on  I  will  tell  you  things  before  they  happen,  so 
that  when  they  do  happen  you  may  believe  that  I  am  what 
I  say.  I  assure  you,  whoever  welcomes  any  messenger  of  mine 
welcomes  me  and  whoever  welcomes  me  welcomes  him  who 
has  sent  me.” 

After  Jesus  had  said  this  he  was  greatly  moved  and  said 
solemnly, 

“I  tell  you,  it  is  one  of  you  that  will  betray  me!” 

The  disciples  looked  at  one  another  in  doubt  as  to  which 
of  them  he  meant.  Next  to  Jesus,  at  his  right  at  the  table, 
was  one  of  his  disciples  whom  Jesus  especially  loved.  So 
Simon  Peter  nodded  to  him  and  said  to  him, 

“Tell  us  whom  he  means.” 

He  leaned  back  from  where  he  lay,  on  Jesus’  breast,  and 
said  to  him, 

“Master,  who  is  it  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“It  is  the  one  to  whom  I  am  going  to  give  this  piece  of 
bread  when  I  have  dipped  it  in  the  dish.”  So  he  dipped  the 
piece  of  bread  and  took  it  and  gave  it  to  Judas,  Simon 
Iscariot’s  son.  After  he  took  the  bread,  Satan  took  possession 
of  him.  Then  Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Be  quick  about  your  business.” 

But  no  one  else  at  the  table  knew  what  he  meant  by  telling 
him  this,  for  some  of  them  thought  that  as  Judas  had  the 
purse  Jesus  meant  to  say  to  him,  “  Buy  what  we  need  for  the 
festival,”  or  to  have  him  give  something  to  the  poor.  So 
immediately  after  taking  the  piece  of  bread  he  went  out. 
It  was  then  night. 

When  he  was  gone,  Jesus  said, 

“Now  the  Son  of  Man  has  been  honored,  and  God  has 
been  honored  through  him,  and  God  will  through  himself 
honor  him;  he  will  honor  him  immediately.  My  children,  I 
am  to  be  with  you  only  a  little  longer.  You  will  look  for 
me,  but,  as  I  said  to  the  Jews,  where  I  am  going  you  cannot 
follow.  I  give  you  a  new  command:  Love  one  another. 
Just  as  I  have  loved  you,  you  must  love  one  another.  By 
this  they  will  all  know  that  you  are  my  disciples — by  your 
love  for  one  another.” 


13 = 19—35 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  209 


Simon  Peter  said  to  him, 

“Master,  where  are  you  going  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“I  am  going  where  you  cannot  follow  me  now,  but  you 
will  follow  me  later.” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“  Master,  why  cannot  I  follow  you  now  ?  I  will  lay  down 
my  life  for  you.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“You  will  lay  down  your  life  for  me  ?  I  tell  you,  before 
a  cock  crows,  you  will  disown  me  thrice  over! 

“Your  minds  must  not  be  troubled;  you  must  believe  in 
God,  and  believe  in  me.  There  are  many  rooms  in  my 
Father’s  house;  if  there  were  not,  I  would  have  told  you, 
for  I  am  going  away  to  make  ready  a  place  for  you.  And  if 
I  go  and  make  it  ready,  I  will  come  back  and  take  you  with 
me,  so  that  you  may  be  where  I  am.  You  know  the  way  to 
the  place  where  I  am  going.” 

Thomas  said  to  him, 

“Master,  we  do  not  know  where  you  are  going;  how 
can  we  know  the  way  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“  I  am  Way  and  Truth  and  Life.  No  one  can  come  to  the 
Father  except  through  me.  If  you  knew  me,  you  would  know 
my  Father  also.  From  now  on  you  do  know  him  and  you 
have  seen  him.” 

Philip  said  to  him, 

“Master,  let  us  see  the  Father,  and  it  will  satisfy  us.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Have  I  been  with  you  so  long,  and  yet  you,  Philip,  have 
not  recognized  me  ?  Whoever  has  seen  me  has  seen  the 
Father.  How  can  you  say, ‘Let  us  see  the  Father’ ?  Do  you 
not  believe  that  I  am  in  union  with  the  Father  and  the 
Father  is  in  union  with  me  ?  I  am  not  the  source  of  the 
words  that  I  say  to  you,  but  the  Father  who  is  united  with 
me  is  doing  these  things  himself.  You  must  believe  that 
I  am  in  union  with  the  Father  and  that  the  Father  is  in  union 
with  me,  or  else  you  must  believe  because  of  the  things 
themselves.  I  tell  you,  whoever  believes  in  me  will  do 

13:36-14:12 


210 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


such  things  as  I  do,  and  things  greater  yet,  because  I  am 
going  to  the  Father.  Anything  you  ask  for  as  followers  of 
mine  I  will  grant,  so  that  the  Father  may  be  honored  through 
the  Son.  I  will  grant  anything  you  ask  me  for  as  my 
followers. 

“If  you  really  love  me,  you  will  observe  my  commands. 
And  I  will  ask  the  Father  and  he  will  give  you  another  Helper 
to  be  with  you  always.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  Truth.  The  world 
cannot  obtain  that  Spirit,  because  it  does  not  see  it  or  recog¬ 
nize  it;  you  recognize  it  because  it  stays  with  you  and  is 
within  you.  I  am  not  going  to  leave  you  friendless.  I  am 
coming  back  to  you.  In  a  little  while  the  world  will  not  see 
me  any  more,  but  you  will  still  see  me,  because  I  shall  live  on, 
and  you  will  live  on  too.  When  that  day  comes  you  will  know 
that  I  am  in  union  with  my  Father  and  you  are  with  me  and 
I  am  with  you.  It  is  he  who  has  my  commands  and  observes 
them  that  really  loves  me,  and  whoever  loves  me  will  be  loved 
by  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him  and  show  myself  to  him.” 

Judas  (not  Judas  Iscariot),  said  to  him, 

“Master,  how  does  it  happen  that  you  are  going  to  show 
yourself  to  us  and  not  to  the  world  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Anyone  who  loves  me  will  observe  my  teaching,  and  my 
Father  will  love  him  and  we  will  come  to  him  and  live  with 
him.  No  one  who  does  not  love  me  will  observe  my  teaching, 
and  yet  the  teaching  you  are  listening  to  is  not  mine  but  is 
that  of  him  who  has  sent  me. 

“I  have  told  you  this  while  I  am  still  staying  with  you, 
but  the  Helper,  the  holy  Spirit  which  the  Father  will  send  in 
my  place,  will  teach  you  everything  and  remind  you  of 
everything  that  I  have  told  you.  I  leave  you  a  blessing; 

I  give  you  my  own  blessing.  I  do  not  give  it  to  you 

as  the  world  gives.  Your  minds  must  not  be  troubled  or 
afraid.  You  have  heard  me  say  that  I  am  going  away 
and  am  coming  back  to  you;  if  you  loved  me  you  would 

be  glad  that  I  am  going  to  the  Father,  for  the  Father 

is  greater  than  I.  And  I  have  told  you  of  it  now  before 
it  happens,  in  order  that  when  it  happens  you  may  believe  in 
me.  I  shall  not  talk  much  more  with  you,  for  the  evil  genius 


14:13-30 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


21 1 


of  the  world  is  coming.  He  has  nothing  in  common  with  me, 
but  he  is  coming  that  the  world  may  know  that  I  love  the 
Father  and  am  doing  what  he  has  commanded  me  to  do. 
Come,  let  us  go  away. 

“I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  cultivator. 
Any  branch  of  mine  that  does  not  bear  fruit  he  trims  away, 
and  he  prunes  every  branch  that  bears  fruit,  to  make  it  bear 
more.  You  are  pruned  already  because  of  the  teaching  that 
I  have  given  you.  You  must  remain  united  to  me  and  I  will 
remain  united  to  you.  Just  as  no  branch  can  bear  fruit  by 
itself  unless  it  remains  united  to  the  vine,  you  cannot  unless 
you  remain  united  to  me.  I  am  the  vine,  you  are  the 
branches.  Anyone  who  remains  united  to  me,  with  me  united 
to  him,  will  be  very  fruitful,  for  you  cannot  do  anything  apart 
from  me.  Anyone  who  does  not  remain  united  to  me  is 
thrown  away  like  a  branch  and  withers  up,  and  they  gather 
them  and  throw  them  into  the  fire  and  burn  them.  If 
you  remain  united  to  me  and  my  words  remain  in  your  hearts, 
ask  for  whatever  you  please  and  you  shall  have  it.  When 
you  are  very  fruitful  and  show  yourselves  to  be  disciples  of 
mine,  my  Father  is  honored.  I  have  loved  you  just  as  the 
Father  has  loved  me.  Y ou  must  retain  my  love.  If  you  keep 
my  commands  you  will  retain  my  love,  just  as  I  have  observed 
the  Father’s  commands  and  retain  his  love.  I  have  told  you 
all  this  so  that  you  may  have  the  happiness  I  have  had,  and 
your  happiness  may  be  complete.  The  command  that  I  give 
you  is  to  love  one  another  just  as  I  have  loved  you.  No  one 
can  show  greater  love  than  by  giving  up  his  life  for  his 
friends.  You  are  my  friends  if  you  do  what  I  command 
you  to  do.  I  do  not  call  you  slaves  any  longer,  for  a  slave 
does  not  know  what  his  master  is  doing,  but  now  I  call  you 
friends,  for  I  have  made  known  to  you  everything  that  I  have 
learned  from  my  Father.  It  was  not  you  who  chose  me,  it 
is  I  that  have  chosen  you,  and  appointed  you  to  go  and  bear 
fruit — fruit  that  shall  be  lasting,  so  that  the  Father  may  grant 
you  whatever  you  ask  him  for  as  my  followers. 

“What  I  command  you  to  do  is  to  love  one  another.  If 
the  world  hates  you,  remember  that  it  hated  me  first.  If  you 
belonged  to  the  world,  the  world  would  love  what  was  its  own. 

14:31-15:19 


212 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  it  is  because  you  do  not  belong  to  the  world,  but  I  have 
selected  you  from  the  world,  that  the  world  hates  you. 
Remember  what  I  said  to  you:  No  slave  is  greater  than  his 
master.  If  they  have  persecuted  me  they  will  persecute  you 
too.  If  they  have  observed  my  teaching,  they  will  observe 
yours  too.  But  they  will  do  all  this  to  you  on  my  account, 
because  they  do  not  understand  him  who  sent  me.  If  I 
had  not  come  and  spoken  to  them,  they  would  not  have  been 
guilty  of  sin,  but  as  it  is,  they  have  no  excuse  for  their  sin. 
Whoever  hates  me  hates  my  Father  also.  If  I  had  not  done 
things  before  them  that  no  one  else  ever  did  they  would  not 
be  guilty  of  sin.  But  as  it  is,  they  have  seen  both  me  and  my 
Father,  and  they  have  hated  us  both.  But  the  saying  of  their 
Law,  ‘They  hated  me  without  cause,’  must  be  fulfilled. 
When  the  Helper  comes  whom  I  will  send  to  you  from  the 
Father — that  Spirit  of  Truth  that  comes  from  the  Father — 
he  will  bear  testimony  to  me,  and  you  must  bear  testimony 
too,  because  you  have  been  with  me  from  the  first. 

“I  have  told  you  this  to  keep  you  from  faltering. 
They  will  exclude  you  from  their  synagogues;  why,  the  time 
is  coming  when  anyone  who  kills  you  will  think  he  is  doing 
religious  service  to  God.  They  will  do  this  because  they  do 
not  know  the  Father  or  me.  But  I  have  told  you  about  these 
things  in  order  that  when  the  time  comes  for  them  to  happen, 
you  may  remember  that  I  told  you  of  them.  I  did  not  tell  you 
this  at  first  because  I  was  still  staying  with  you.  But  now  I 
am  going  away  to  him  who  sent  me,  and  not  one  of  you  asks  me 
where  I  am  going,  but  your  minds  are  full  of  sorrow  because 
I  have  told  you  this.  Yet  it  is  only  the  truth  when  I  tell  you 
that  it  is  better  for  you  that  I  should  go  away.  For  if  I  do  not 
go,  the  Helper  will  not  come  to  you,  but  if  I  go  I  will  send  him 
to  you.  When  he  comes,  he  will  bring  conviction  to  the 
world  about  sin  and  uprightness  and  judgment;  about  sin, 
as  shown  in  their  not  believing  in  me;  about  uprightness, 
as  shown  by  my  going  away  to  the  Father,  where  you  can 
no  longer  see  me;  and  about  judgment,  as  shown  by  the 
condemnation  of  the  evil  genius  of  this  world.  I  have  much 
more  to  tell  you,  but  you  cannot  take  it  in  now,  but  when 
the  Spirit  of  Truth  comes,  he  will  guide  you  into  the  full  truth, 

15:20-16: 13 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


213 


for  he  will  not  speak  for  himself  but  will  tell  what  he  hears, 
and  will  announce  to  you  the  things  that  are  to  come.  He 
will  do  honor  to  me,  for  he  will  take  what  is  mine  and  com¬ 
municate  it  to  you.  All  that  the  Father  has  belongs  to  me. 
That  is  why  I  said  that  he  will  take  what  is  mine  and  com¬ 
municate  it  to  you. 

“In  a  little  while  you  will  not  see  me  any  longer,  and  a 
little  while  after,  you  will  see  me  again.” 

Then  some  of  his  disciples  said  to  one  another, 

“What  does  he  mean  when  he  tells  us,  ‘In  a  little  while 
you  will  not  see  me  any  longer,  and  a  little  while  after,  you 
will  see  me  again,’  and  ‘Because  I  am  going  away  to  the 
Father’?”  So  they  kept  saying  “What  does  he  mean  by 
‘In  a  little  while’?  We  do  not  know  what  he  is  talking 
about.” 

Jesus  saw  that  they  wanted  to  ask  him  a  question,  and 
he  said  to  them, 

“Are  you  asking  one  another  about  my  saying  ‘In  a  little 
while  you  will  not  see  me  any  longer,  and  a  little  while  after, 
you  will  see  me  again  ’  ?  I  tell  you,  you  will  weep  and  wail 
while  the  world  will  be  happy;  you  will  grieve,  but  your 
grief  will  change  to  happiness.  When  a  woman  is  in  labor 
she  is  sorrowful,  for  her  time  has  come;  but  when  the  child 
is  born,  she  forgets  her  pain  in  her  joy  that  a  human  being 
has  been  brought  into  the  world.  So  you,  too,  are  sorrowful 
now;  but  I  will  see  you  again,  and  your  hearts  will  be  happy, 
and  no  one  will  rob  you  of  your  happiness.  When  that  time 
comes,  you  will  not  ask  me  any  questions;  I  tell  you,  whatever 
you  ask  the  Father  for,  he  will  give  you  as  my  followers. 
Hitherto  you  have  not  asked  for  anything  as  my  followers, 
but  now  ask,  and  you  will  receive,  so  that  your  happiness 
may  be  complete. 

“  I  have  said  all  this  to  you  in  figurative  language,  but  a 
time  is  coming  when  I  shall  not  do  so  any  longer,  but  will 
tell  you  plainly  about  the  Father.  When  that  time  comes 
you  will  ask  as  my  followers,  and  I  do  not  promise  to  intercede 
with  the  Father  for  you,  for  the  Father  loves  you  himself 
because  you  love  me  and  believe  that  I  have  come  from  the 
Father.  I  did  come  from  the  Father  and  enter  the  world. 

16: 14-28 


214 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Now  I  am  leaving  the  world  again  and  going  back  to  the 
Father.” 

His  disciples  said, 

“Why,  now  you  are  talking  plainly  and  not  speaking 
figuratively  at  all.  Now  we  know  that  you  know  everything 
and  do  not  need  to  have  anyone  ask  you  questions.  This 
makes  us  believe  that  you  have  really  come  from  God.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  Do  you  believe  that  now  ?  Why,  a  time  is  coming — it 
has  already  come! — when  you  will  all  be  scattered  to  your 
homes  and  will  leave  me  alone.  And  yet  I  am  not  alone, 
for  the  Father  is  with  me.  I  have  told  you  all  this,  so  that 
through  me  you  may  find  peace.  In  the  world  you  have 
trouble;  but  take  courage!  I  have  conquered  the  world.” 

When  Jesus  had  said  all  this  he  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven 
and  said, 

“Father,  the  time  has  come.  Do  honor  to  your  son, 
that  your  son  may  do  honor  to  you,  just  as  you  have  done 
in  giving  him  power  over  all  mankind,  so  that  he  may  give 
eternal  life  to  all  whom  you  have  given  him.  And  eternal 
life  means  knowing  you  as  the  only  true  God,  and  knowing 
Jesus  your  messenger  as  Christ.  I  have  done  honor  to  you 
here  on  earth,  by  completing  the  work  which  you  gave  me  to 
do.  Now,  Father,  do  such  honor  to  me  in  your  presence  as 
I  had  done  me  there  before  the  world  existed. 

“I  have  revealed  your  real  self  to  the  men  you  gave  me 
from  the  world.  They  were  yours  and  you  gave  them  to  me, 
and  they  have  obeyed  your  message.  Now  at  last  they  know 
that  all  that  you  have  given  me  comes  from  you,  for  I  have 
given  them  the  truths  that  you  gave  me,  and  they  have 
accepted  them  and  been  convinced  that  I  came  from  you, 
and  they  believe  that  you  sent  me.  I  have  a  request  to  make 
for  them.  I  make  no  request  for  the  world,  but  only  for  those 
whom  you  have  given  me,  for  they  are  yours — all  that  is  mine 
is  yours  and  what  is  yours  is  mine — and  they  have  done  me 
honor.  Now  I  am  to  be  no  longer  in  this  world,  but  they 
are  to  remain  in  the  world,  while  I  return  to  you.  Holy 
Father,  keep  them  by  your  power  which  you  gave  me,  so  that 
they  may  be  one  just  as  we  are.  As  long  as  I  was  with  them 

16:29-17: 12 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  215 


I  kept  them  by  your  power  which  you  gave  me,  and  I  pro¬ 
tected  them,  and  not  one  of  them  was  lost  (except  the  one  who 
was  destined  to  be  lost),  so  that  what  the  Scripture  says 
might  come  true.  But  now  I  am  coming  to  you,  and  I  say 
this  here  in  this  world  in  order  that  they  may  have  the 
happiness  that  I  feel  fully  realized  in  their  own  hearts.  I  have 
given  them  your  message,  and  the  world  has  come  to  hate 
them,  for  they  do  not  belong  to  the  world  any  more  than  I 
belong  to  the  world.  I  do  not  ask  you  to  take  them  away  from 
the  world,  but  to  keep  them  from  evil.  They  do  not  belong 
to  the  world  any  more  than  I  belong  to  the  world.  Consecrate 
them  by  truth.  Your  message  is  truth.  Just  as  you  sent  me 
to  the  world,  I  have  sent  them  to  the  world.  And  it  is  for 
their  sake  that  I  consecrate  myself,  that  they  also  may  be 
consecrated  by  truth. 

“It  is  not  for  them  only  that  I  make  this  request.  It  is 
also  for  those  who  through  their  message  come  to  believe  in 
me.  Let  them  all  be  one.  Just  as  you,  Father,  are  in  union 
with  me  and  I  am  with  you,  let  them  be  in  union  with  us, 
so  that  the  world  may  believe  that  you  sent  me.  I  have 
given  them  the  glory  that  you  gave  me,  so  that  they  may  be 
one  just  as  we  are,  I  in  union  with  them  and  you  with  me, 
so  that  they  may  be  perfectly  unified,  and  the  world  may 
recognize  that  you  sent  me  and  that  you  love  them  just  as  you 
loved  me.  Father,  I  wish  to  have  those  whom  you  have  given 
me  with  me  where  I  am,  to  see  my  glory  that  you  have  given 
me,  for  you  loved  me  before  the  creation  of  the  world.  Right¬ 
eous  Father,  though  the  world  did  not  know  you,  I  knew  you, 
and  these  men  knew  that  you  had  sent  me.  I  have  made 
your  self  known  to  them  and  I  will  do  so  still,  so  that  the  love 
which  you  have  had  for  me  may  be  in  their  hearts,  and  I  may 
be  there  also.” 

When  Jesus  had  said  this,  he  went  out  with  his  disciples 
to  the  other  side  of  the  Ravine  of  the  Cedars  where  there  was 
a  garden,  and  he  went  into  it  with  his  disciples.  Judas  who 
betrayed  him  also  knew  the  place,  for  Jesus  often  met  his 
disciples  there.  So  Judas  got  out  the  garrison  and  some 
attendants  from  the  high  priests  and  Pharisees,  and  came 
there  with  lanterns,  torches,  and  weapons.  Then  Jesus,  as 

17:13-18:4 


2l6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


he  knew  everything  that  was  going  to  happen  to  him,  came 
forward  and  said  to  them, 

“Who  is  it  you  are  looking  for  ?” 

They  answered, 

“Jesus  of  Nazareth.” 

He  said  to  them, 

“I  am  he.” 

Judas  who  betrayed  him  was  standing  among  them. 
When  Jesus  said  to  them,  “  I  am  he,”  they  drew  back  and  fell 
to  the  ground.  Then  he  asked  them  again, 

“Who  is  it  you  are  looking  for  ?” 

They  said, 

“Jesus  of  Nazareth.” 

Jesus  answered, 

“  I  have  told  you  that  I  am  he,  so  if  you  are  looking  for  me, 
let  these  men  go.”  This  was  to  fulfil  the  saying  he  had 
uttered,  “I  have  not  lost  one  of  those  whom  you  have  given 
me. 

Then  Simon  Peter,  who  had  a  sword  with  him,  drew  it 
and  struck  at  the  high  priest’s  slave  and  cut  off  his  right  ear. 
The  slave’s  name  was  Malchus.  Then  Jesus  said  to  Peter, 

“Put  your  sword  back  into  the  sheath.  Shall  I  not  drink 
the  cup  which  the  Father  has  offered  me  ?” 

So  the  garrison  and  the  colonel  and  the  attendants  of  the 
Jews  seized  Jesus  and  bound  him,  and  they  took  him  first  to 
Annas.  For  he  was  the  father-in-law  of  Caiaphas,  who  was 
high  priest  that  year.  Now  it  was  Caiaphas  who  had 
advised  the  Jews  that  it  was  for  their  interest  that  one  man 
should  die  for  the  people. 

But  Simon  Peter  and  another  disciple  followed  Jesus. 
This  other  disciple  was  an  acquaintance  of  the  high  priest, 
and  he  went  on  with  Jesus  into  the  high  priest’s  courtyard, 
while  Peter  stood  outside  at  the  door.  So  this  other  disciple, 
the  acquaintance  of  the  high  priest,  went  out  and  spoke  to  the 
woman  at  the  door  and  brought  Peter  in.  The  maid  at  the 
door  said  to  Peter, 

“Are  you  also  one  of  this  man’s  disciples  ?” 

He  said, 

“No,  I  am  not.” 

18:5-17 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  217 


As  it  was  cold  the  slaves  and  attendants  had  made  a 
charcoal  fire,  and  stood  about  it  warming  themselves.  And 
Peter  also  was  among  them,  standing  and  warming  himself. 

Then  the  high  priest  questioned  Jesus  about  his  disciples 
and  his  teaching.  Jesus  answered, 

“I  have  spoken  openly  to  the  world.  I  have  always 
taught  in  synagogues  or  in  the  Temple  where  all  the  Jews 
meet  together,  and  I  have  said  nothing  in  secret.  Why  do  you 
question  me  ?  Ask  those  who  have  heard  me  what  it  was  that 
I  said  to  them.  They  will  know  what  I  have  said.” 

When  he  said  this,  one  of  the  attendants  who  stood  near 
struck  him  and  said, 

“Is  that  the  way  you  answer  the  high  priest  ?” 

Jesus  replied, 

“If  I  have  said  anything  wrong,  testify  to  it;  but  if  what 
I  have  said  is  true,  why  do  you  strike  me  ?” 

So  Annas  sent  him  over  still  bound  to  Caiaphas  the  high 
priest. 

But  Simon  Peter  still  stood  warming  himself.  So  they 
said  to  him, 

“Are  you  also  one  of  his  disciples  ?” 

He  denied  it  and  said, 

“No,  I  am  not.” 

One  of  the  high  priest’s  slaves,  a  relative  of  the  man 
whose  ear  Peter  had  cut  off,  said, 

“Did  I  not  see  you  with  him  in  the  garden  ?” 

Peter  again  denied  it,  and  at  that  moment  a  cock  crowed. 

Then  they  took  Jesus  from  Caiaphas  to  the  governor’s 
house.  It  was  early  in  the  morning,  and  they  would  not  go 
into  the  governor’s  house  themselves,  to  avoid  being  cere¬ 
monially  defiled  and  to  be  able  to  eat  the  Passover  supper. 
So  Pilate  came  outside  to  them,  and  said, 

“What  charge  do  you  make  against  this  man  ?” 

They  answered, 

“If  he  were  not  a  criminal,  we  would  not  have  turned 
him  over  to  you.” 

Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Take  him  yourselves,  and  try  him  by  your  law.” 

The  Jews  said  to  him, 

18: 18-31 


2l8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“We  have  no  authority  to  put  anyone  to  death.” 

This  was  to  fulfil  what  Jesus  said  when  he  declared  how 
he  was  to  die. 

So  Pilate  went  back  into  the  governor’s  house  and  called 
Jesus  and  said  to  him, 

“Are  you  the  king  of  the  Jews  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“Did  you  think  of  that  yourself,  or  has  someone  else  said 
it  to  you  about  me  ?” 

Pilate  answered, 

“Do  you  take  me  for  a  Jew  ?  Your  own  people  and  the 
high  priests  handed  you  over  to  me.  What  offense  have  you 
committed  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“My  kingdom  is  not  a  kingdom  of  this  world.  If  my 
kingdom  were  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  my  men  would  have 
fought  to  keep  me  from  being  handed  over  to  the  Jews.  But 
as  it  is,  my  kingdom  has  no  such  origin.” 

Pilate  said  to  him, 

“Then  you  are  a  king  ?” 

Jesus  answered, 

“As  you  say,  I  am  a  king.  It  was  for  this  that  I  was  born 
and  for  this  that  I  came  to  the  world,  to  give  testimony  for 
truth.  Everyone  who  is  on  the  side  of  truth  listens  to  my 

•  yy 

voice. 

Pilate  said  to  him, 

“What  is  truth!” 

With  these  words  he  went  outside  again  to  the  Jews,  and 
said  to  them, 

“I  can  find  nothing  to  charge  him  with.  But  it  is  your 
custom  to  have  me  release  one  man  for  you  at  Passover  time. 
Do  you  want  me  therefore  to  release  the  king  of  the  Jews 
for  you  ?” 

Then  they  shouted  back, 

“No!  Not  him,  but  Barabbas!” 

Now  Barabbas  was  a  robber. 

Then  Pilate  took  Jesus  and  had  him  flogged.  And  the 
soldiers  made  a  wreath  out  of  thorns  and  put  it  on  his  head,  and 
put  a  purple  coat  on  him,  and  they  marched  up  to  him,  saying, 

18:32-19:3 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  219 


“Long  live  the  king  of  the  Jews!” 
each  one  giving  him  a  blow.  And  Pilate  went  outside  again 
and  said  to  the  Jews, 

“See!  I  will  bring  him  out  to  you,  to  show  you  that 
I  can  find  nothing  to  charge  him  with.” 

So  Jesus  came  out,  still  wearing  the  wreath  of  thorns  and 
the  purple  coat.  And  Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Here  is  the  man!” 

When  the  high  priests  and  their  attendants  saw  him, 
they  shouted, 

“Have  him  crucified!  Have  him  crucified!” 

Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Take  him  yourselves  and  have  him  crucified,  for  I  can 
find  nothing  to  charge  him  with.” 

The  Jews  answered, 

“We  have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he  deserves  death,  for 
declaring  himself  to  be  a  son  of  God.” 

When  Pilate  heard  that,  he  was  more  frightened  than 
before  and  he  went  back  into  the  governor’s  house  and 
said  to  Jesus, 

“Where  do  you  come  from  ?” 

But  Jesus  made  no  answer.  Then  Pilate  said  to  him, 

“  Do  you  refuse  to  speak  to  me  ?  Do  you  not  know 
that  it  is  in  my  power  to  release  you  or  to  have  you  crucified  ?” 

Jesus  answered  him, 

“You  would  have  no  power  at  all  over  me,  if  it  were  not 
given  to  you  from  above.  So  you  are  less  guilty  than  the 
man  who  betrayed  me  to  you.” 

This  made  Pilate  try  to  find  a  way  to  let  him  go,  but  the 
Jews  shouted, 

“If  you  let  him  go,  you  are  no  friend  of  the  emperor’s! 
Anyone  who  calls  himself  a  king  utters  treason  against  the 
emperor!” 

When  Pilate  heard  that,  he  had  Jesus  brought  out  and  had 
him  sit  in  the  judge’s  seat  in  the  place  they  call  the  Stone 
Platform,  or  in  Hebrew,  Gabbatha.  It  was  the  day  of 
Preparation  for  the  Passover,  and  it  was  about  noon.  And 
Pilate  said  to  the  Jews, 

“There  is  your  king!” 


19:4-14 


220 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


At  that  they  shouted, 

“Kill  him!  Kill  him!  Have  him  crucified!” 

Pilate  said  to  them, 

“Am  I  to  crucify  your  king  ?” 

The  high  priests  answered, 

“We  have  no  king  but  the  emperor!” 

Then  Pilate  handed  him  over  to  them  to  be  crucified. 

So  they  took  Jesus,  and  he  went  out  carrying  the  cross 
by  himself  to  a  spot  called  the  Place  of  the  Skull,  or  in  Hebrew, 
Golgotha.  There  they  crucified  him,  with  two  others,  one  on 
each  side  and  Jesus  in  the  middle.  Pilate  had  written  a  plac¬ 
ard  and  had  it  put  on  the  cross;  it  read  “Jesus  the  Nazarene, 
the  king  of  the  Jews.”  Many  of  the  Jews  read  this  placard, 
for  the  place  where  Jesus  was  crucified  was  near  the  city, 
and  it  was  written  in  Hebrew,  Latin,  and  Greek.  So  the 
Jewish  high  priests  said  to  Pilate, 

“Do  not  write  ‘The  king  of  the  Jews,’  but  write  ‘He  said, 
I  am  the  king  of  the  Jews.’  ” 

Pilate  answered, 

“What  I  have  written,  I  have  written!” 

When  the  soldiers  had  crucified  Jesus,  they  took  his  clothes 
and  divided  them  into  four  parts,  one  for  each  soldier,  besides 
his  shirt.  Now  his  shirt  had  no  seam;  it  was  woven  in  one 
piece  from  top  to  bottom.  So  they  said  to  one  another, 

“Let  us  not  tear  it,  but  let  us  draw  for  it,  to  see  who  gets 
it.”  This  was  to  fulfil  what  the  Scripture  says: 

“They  divided  my  garments  among  them, 

And  for  my  clothing  they  cast  lots.” 

This  was  what  the  soldiers  did.  Near  Jesus’  cross  stood 
his  mother  and  her  sister  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Clopas,  and 
Mary  of  Magdala.  So  Jesus,  seeing  his  mother  and  the 
disciple  whom  he  loved  standing  near,  said  to  his  mother, 
“There  is  your  son!” 

Then  he  said  to  his  disciple, 

“There  is  your  mother!” 

And  from  that  time  his  disciple  took  her  into  his  home. 
After  that,  Jesus,  knowing  that  everything  was  now 
finished,  to  fulfil  the  saying  of  Scripture,  said, 

“I  am  thirsty.” 

19: 15-28 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


221 


A  bowl  of  sour  wine  was  standing  there.  So  they  put  a 
sponge  soaked  in  the  wine  on  a  pike  and  held  it  to  his  lips. 
When  Jesus  had  taken  the  wine,  he  said, 

“ It  is  finished!” 

Then  bowing  his  head  he  gave  up  his  spirit. 

As  it  was  the  day  of  Preparation  for  the  Passover,  in 
order  that  the  bodies  might  not  be  left  on  the  crosses  over  the 
Sabbath,  for  that  Sabbath  was  an  especially  important  one, 
the  Jews  asked  Pilate  to  have  the  men’s  legs  broken  and  the 
bodies  removed.  So  the  soldiers  went  and  broke  the  legs  of 
the  first  man  and  then  of  the  other  who  had  been  crucified 
with  him.  But  when  they  came  to  Jesus  they  saw  that  he 
was  dead  already,  and  they  did  not  break  his  legs,  but  one  of 
the  soldiers  thrust  a  lance  into  his  side,  and  blood  and  water 
immediately  flowed  out.  The  man  who  saw  it  testifies  to  it 
— his  testimony  is  true;  he  knows  that  he  is  telling  the  truth — 
to  lead  you  also  to  believe.  For  this  happened  to  fulfil  what 
the  Scripture  says: 

“Not  one  of  its  bones  will  be  broken.” 

Moreover,  it  says  in  another  place, 

“They  shall  look  at  the  man  whom  they  pierced.” 

After  this,  Joseph,  of  Arimathea,  who  was  a  disciple  of 
Jesus,  but  a  secret  one,  because  of  his  fear  of  the  Jews,  asked 
Pilate  to  let  him  remove  Jesus’  body,  and  Pilate  gave  him 
permission.  So  Joseph  went  and  took  the  body  down.  And 
Nicodemus  also,  who  had  first  come  to  Jesus  at  night,  went, 
taking  a  roll  of  myrrh  and  aloes  weighing  about  a  hundred 
pounds.  So  they  took  Jesus’  body,  and  wrapped  it  with  the 
spices  in  bandages,  in  the  Jewish  way  of  preparing  bodies  for 
burial.  There  was  a  garden  at  the  place  where  Jesus  had 
been  crucified,  and  in  the  garden  was  a  new  tomb  in  which 
no  one  had  yet  been  laid.  So  because  it  was  the  Jewish 
Preparation  day,  and  the  tomb  was  close  by,  they  put  Jesus 
there. 

On  the  day  after  the  Sabbath,  very  early  in  the  morning 
while  it  was  still  dark,  Mary  of  Magdala  went  to  the  tomb, 
and  she  saw  that  the  stone  had  been  removed  from  it.  So  she 
ran  away  and  went  to  Simon  Peter  and  the  other  disciple 
who  was  dear  to  Jesus,  and  said  to  them, 


19:29-20:2 


222 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“They  have  taken  the  Master  out  of  the  tomb,  and  we  do 
not  know  where  they  have  put  him.” 

So  Peter  and  the  other  disciple  went  out  of  the  city  and 
started  for  the  tomb.  And  they  both  ran,  and  the  other 
disciple  ran  faster  than  Peter  and  got  to  the  tomb  first.  And 
he  stooped  down  and  saw  the  bandages  lying  on  the  ground, 
but  he  did  not  go  in.  Then  Simon  Peter  came  up  behind  him, 
and  he  went  inside  the  tomb,  and  saw  the  bandages  lying  on 
the  ground,  and  the  handkerchief  that  had  been  over  Jesus’ 
face  not  on  the  ground  with  the  bandages,  but  folded  up  by 
itself.  Then  the  other  disciple  who  had  reached  the  tomb 
first  went  inside  too,  and  saw  and  was  convinced.  For  they 
did  not  yet  understand  the  statement  of  Scripture  that  he 
must  rise  from  the  dead.  So  the  disciples  went  home  again. 

But  Mary  stood  just  outside  the  tomb,  weeping.  And  as 
she  wept  she  looked  down  into  the  tomb,  and  saw  two  angels 
in  white  sitting  where  Jesus’  body  had  been,  one  at  his  head 
and  one  at  his  feet.  And  they  said  to  her, 

“Why  are  you  weeping  ?” 

She  said  to  them, 

“They  have  taken  my  Master  away,  and  I  do  not  know 
where  they  have  put  him.” 

As  she  said  this  she  turned  around  and  saw  Jesus  standing 
there,  but  she  did  not  know  that  it  was  he.  Jesus  said  to  her, 

“Why  are  you  weeping  ?  Who  are  you  looking  for  ?” 

She,  supposing  that  he  was  the  gardener,  said  to  him, 

“If  it  was  you,  sir,  that  carried  him  away,  tell  me  where 
you  have  put  him,  and  I  will  take  him  away.” 

“Mary!”  said  Jesus. 

She  turned  and  said  to  him  in  Hebrew, 

“Rabbouni!”  which  means  Master. 

Jesus  said  to  her, 

“You  must  not  cling  to  me,  for  I  have  not  yet  gone  up  to 
my  Father,  but  go  to  my  brothers  and  say  to  them  that  I  am 
going  up  to  my  Father  and  your  Father,  to  my  God  and 
your  God.” 

Mary  of  Magdala  went  and  declared  to  the  disciples, 

“I  have  seen  the  Master!” 
and  she  told  them  that  he  had  said  this  to  her. 

20:3—18 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN 


223 


When  it  was  evening  on  that  first  day  after  the  Sabbath, 
and  the  doors  of  the  house  where  the  disciples  met  were  locked 
for  fear  of  the  Jews,  Jesus  came  in  and  stood  among  them 
and  said  to  them, 

“Peace  be  with  you!” 

Then  he  showed  them  his  hands  and  his  side,  and  the  disciples 
were  full  of  j  oy  at  seeing  the  Master.  J esus  said  to  them  again, 

“Peace  be  with  you!  Just  as  my  Father  sent  me  forth 
so  I  now  send  you.” 

As  he  said  this  he  breathed  upon  them,  and  said, 

“Receive  the  holy  Spirit!  If  you  forgive  any  men’s  sins, 
they  are  forgiven  them,  and  if  you  fix  any  men’s  sins  upon 
them,  they  will  remain  fixed.” 

But  Thomas,  one  of  the  Twelve,  who  was  called  the 
Twin,  was  not  with  them  when  Jesus  came  in.  So  the  rest 
of  the  disciples  said  to  him, 

“We  have  seen  the  Master!” 

But  he  said  to  them, 

“Unless  I  see  the  marks  of  the  nails  in  his  hands,  and 
put  my  finger  into  them,  and  put  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will 
never  believe  it!” 

A  week  after,  the  disciples  were  again  in  the  house,  and 
Thomas  was  with  them.  Although  the  doors  were  locked, 
Jesus  came  in  and  stood  among  them,  and  said, 

“Peace  be  with  you!” 

Then  he  said  to  Thomas, 

“Put  your  finger  here  and  look  at  my  hands,  and  take 
your  hand  and  put  it  in  my  side,  and  be  no  longer  unbelieving, 
but  believe!” 

Thomas  answered  him, 

“My  Master  and  my  God!” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Is  it  because  you  have  seen  me  that  you  believe? 
Blessed  be  those  who  believe  without  having  seen  me!” 

There  were  many  other  signs  that  Jesus  showed  before 
his  disciples  which  are  not  recorded  in  this  book.  But  these 
have  been  recorded  so  that  you  may  believe  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  through  believing  you  may  have 
life  as  his  followers. 


20: 19-31 


224 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


After  this  Jesus  again  showed  himself  to  the  disciples  at 
the  Sea  of  Tiberias,  and  he  did  so  in  this  way.  Simon  Peter, 
Thomas  called  the  Twin,  Nathanael,  of  Cana  in  Galilee, 
the  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  two  other  disciples  of  Jesus  were  all 
together.  Simon  Peter  said  to  them, 

“I  am  going  fishing.” 

They  said  to  him, 

“We  will  go  with  you.” 

They  went  out  and  got  into  the  boat,  and  that  night  they 
caught  nothing.  But  just  as  day  was  breaking,  Jesus  stood 
on  the  beach,  though  the  disciples  did  not  know  that  it  was  he. 
So  Jesus  said  to  them, 

“Children,  have  you  any  fish  ?” 

They  answered, 

“No.” 

“Throw  your  net  in  on  the  right  of  the  boat,”  he  said  to 
them,  “and  you  will  find  them.” 

They  did  so,  and  they  could  not  haul  it  in  for  the  quantity 
of  fish  in  it.  Then  the  disciple  who  was  dear  to  Jesus  said  to 
Peter, 

“ It  is  the  Master!” 

When  Simon  Peter  heard  that  it  was  the  Master,  he  put 
on  his  clothes,  for  he  had  taken  them  off,  and  sprang  into  the 
sea.  The  rest  of  the  disciples  followed  in  the  boat,  for  they 
were  not  far  from  land,  only  about  a  hundred  yards,  dragging 
in  the  net  full  of  fish.  When  they  landed  they  saw  a  charcoal 
fire  burning,  with  a  fish  on  it,  and  some  bread.  Jesus  said  to 
them, 

“Bring  some  of  the  fish  you  have  just  caught.” 

So  Simon  Peter  got  into  the  boat,  and  hauled  the  net 
ashore,  full  of  large  fish,  a  hundred  and  fifty-three  of  them,  and 
though  there  were  so  many,  the  net  was  not  torn.  Jesus  said 
to  them, 

“Come  and  have  breakfast.” 

None  of  the  disciples  dared  to  ask  him  who  he  was,  for 
they  knew  it  was  the  Master.  Jesus  went  and  got  the  bread 
and  gave  it  to  them,  and  the  fish  also.  This  was  the  third 
time  that  Jesus  showed  himself  to  his  disciples,  after  he  had 
risen  from  the  dead. 


2i :  1-14 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN  225 

When  they  had  finished  breakfast,  Jesus  said  to  Simon 
Peter, 

“Simon,  son  of  John,  are  you  more  devoted  to  me  than 
these  others  are  ?” 

Peter  said  to  him, 

“Yes,  Master,  you  know  that  I  love  you.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Then  feed  my  lambs!” 

Again  Jesus  said  to  him  a  second  time, 

“Simon,  son  of  John,  are  you  devoted  to  me  ?” 

He  said  to  him, 

“Yes,  Master,  you  know  that  I  love  you.” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Then  be  a  shepherd  to  my  sheep!” 

Jesus  said  to  him  a  third  time, 

“Simon,  son  of  John,  do  you  love  me  ?” 

Peter  was  hurt  because  the  third  time  Jesus  asked  him  if 
he  loved  him,  and  he  answered, 

“Master,  you  know  everything,  you  can  see  that  I  love 

yy 

you. 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“Then  feed  my  sheep!  I  tell  you,  when  you  were  young, 
you  used  to  put  on  your  own  girdle  and  go  where  you  pleased, 
but  when  you  grow  old,  you  will  stretch  out  your  hands  and 
someone  else  will  put  a  girdle  on  you  and  take  you  where 
you  have  no  wish  to  go.” 

He  said  this  to  show  the  kind  of  death  by  which  Peter 
was  to  honor  God;  and  after  he  had  said  it  he  said  to  Peter, 

“  Follow  me !” 

Peter  turned  and  saw  following  them  the  disciple  who  was 
very  dear  to  Jesus,  who  at  the  supper  leaned  back  on  Jesus’ 
breast  and  said,  “Master,  who  is  it  that  is  going  to  betray 
you  ?”  When  Peter  saw  him,  he  said  to  Jesus, 

“But,  Master,  what  about  him  ?” 

Jesus  said  to  him, 

“If  I  wish  him  to  wait  till  I  come,  what  does  it  matter 
to  you  ?  You  must  follow  me.” 

So  the  story  spread  among  the  brothers  that  this  disciple 
was  not  going  to  die.  But  Jesus  did  not  tell  him  that  he  was 

21:1 5-23 


226 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


not  going  to  die;  he  said,  “If  I  wish  him  to  wait  till  I  come, 
what  does  it  matter  to  you  ?” 

It  is  this  disciple  who  testifies  to  these  things  and  who 
wrote  them  down,  and  we  know  that  his  testimony  is  true. 

There  are  many  other  things  that  Jesus  did,  so  many 
in  fact  that  if  they  were  all  written  out,  I  do  not  suppose 
that  the  world  itself  would  hold  the  books  that  would  have  to 
be  written. 


21:24-25 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


In  my  first  volume,  Theophilus,  I  dealt  with  all  that 
Jesus  did  and  taught  from  the  beginning  until  the  day  when 
through  the  holy  Spirit  he  gave  the  apostles  he  had  chosen 
their  instructions,  and  was  taken  up  to  heaven.  He  had 
shown  himself  alive  to  them  after  he  had  suffered,  in  many 
convincing  ways,  appearing  to  them  through  forty  days,  and 
telling  them  about  the  Kingdom  of  God.  And  once  when  he 
ate  with  them,  he  instructed  them  not  to  leave  Jerusalem, 
but  to  wait  for  what  the  Father  had  promised. 

“You  have  heard  me  speak  of  it,”  he  said,  “for  John 
baptized  people  in  water,  but  in  a  few  days  you  will  be 
baptized  in  the  holy  Spirit.” 

So  those  who  were  present  asked  him, 

“Master,  is  this  the  time  when  you  are  going  to  re-establish 
the  kingdom  for  Israel  ?” 

He  said  to  them, 

“It  is  not  for  you  to  know  times  and  dates  which  the 
Father  has  fixed  by  his  own  authority,  but  you  will  be  given 
power  when  the  holy  Spirit  comes  upon  you,  and  you  will  be 
witnesses  for  me  in  Jerusalem  and  all  over  Judea  and  Samaria 
and  to  the  very  ends  of  the  earth.” 

As  he  said  this,  he  was  caught  up  before  their  eyes  and  a 
cloud  took  him  up  from  their  sight.  And  while  they  were 
gazing  after  him  into  the  sky,  two  men  dressed  in  white 
suddenly  stood  beside  them,  and  said  to  them, 

“Men  of  Galilee,  why  do  you  stand  looking  up  into  the 
sky  ?  This  very  Jesus  who  has  been  caught  up  from  you  into 
heaven  will  come  in  just  the  way  that  you  have  seen  him 
go  up  to  heaven.” 

Then  they  went  back  to  Jerusalem  from  the  hill  called  the 
Olive-orchard,  which  is  near  Jerusalem,  half  a  mile  away. 

When  they  entered  the  city  they  went  to  the  upstairs 
room  where  they  were  staying.  There  were  Peter,  John, 
James  and  Andrew,  Philip  and  Thomas,  Bartholomew  and 


227 


121-13 


228 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Matthew,  James,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  Simon  the  Zealot,  and 
Judas,  the  son  of  James.  They  were  all  devoting  themselves 
with  one  mind  to  prayer,  with  the  women  and  Mary,  Jesus’ 
mother,  and  his  brothers. 

It  was  at  that  time  that  Peter  got  up  among  the  brothers 
— there  were  about  a  hundred  and  twenty  persons  present — 
and  said, 

“  Brothers,  the  prediction  of  the  Scriptures  had  to  come 
true  that  the  holy  Spirit  uttered  by  the  lips  of  David,  about 
Judas,  who  acted  as  guide  for  the  men  that  arrested  Jesus — 
for  he  was  one  of  our  number  and  a  share  in  this  ministry 
of  ours  fell  to  his  lot.”  (This  man  bought  a  piece  of  land 
with  the  money  paid  him  for  his  treachery,  and  his  body 
swelled  up  and  burst  open  in  the  middle  and  all  his  vitals 
poured  out.  This  fact  was  well  known  to  all  the  residents  of 
Jerusalem,  so  that  the  piece  of  land  came  to  be  called  in  their 
language  Akeldamach,  the  bloody  field.)  “For  in  the  Book 
of  Psalms  it  is  written, 

“  ‘Let  his  estate  be  desolate,  with  no  one  to  live  on  it,  ’ 
“  and 

“‘Let  someone  else  take  his  position.* 

“So  one  of  the  men  who  has  been  associated  with  us  all 
the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  moved  about  among  us,  from  his 
baptism  by  John  to  the  time  when  he  was  caught  up  from  us, 
must  join  us  as  a  witness  to  his  resurrection.” 

Then  they  proposed  two  men,  Joseph  called  Barsabbas, 
who  was  known  as  Justus,  and  Matthias.  And  they  prayed, 
saying, 

“Lord,  you  who  know  all  hearts,  show  us  which  one  of 
these  two  you  have  chosen  to  take  this  place  of  service  as  an 
apostle  which  Judas  left  to  go  where  he  belonged.” 

Then  they  drew  lots  between  them,  and  the  lot  fell  on 
Matthias,  and  he  was  added  to  the  eleven  apostles. 

On  the  day  of  the  Harvest  Festival,  they  were  all  meet-; 
ing  together,  when  suddenly  there  came  from  the  sky  a 
sound  like  a  violent  blast  of  wind,  and  it  filled  the  whole 
house  where  they  were  sitting.  And  they  saw  tongues  like 
flames  separating  and  settling  one  on  the  head  of  each 
of  them,  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit  and 

1:14-2:4 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


229 


began  to  say  in  foreign  languages  whatever  the  Spirit 
prompted  them  to  utter. 

Now  there  were  devout  Jews  from  every  part  of  the  world 
living  in  Jerusalem.  And  when  this  sound  was  heard,  the 
crowd  gathered  in  great  excitement,  because  each  one  heard 
them  speaking  in  his  own  language.  They  were  perfectly 
amazed  and  said  in  their  astonishment, 

“Are  not  all  these  men  who  are  speaking  Galileans? 
Then  how  is  it  that  each  of  us  hears  his  own  native  tongue  ? 
Parthians,  Medes,  Elamites,  residents  of  Mesopotamia,  of 
Judea  and  Cappadocia,  of  Pontus  and  Asia,  of  Phrygia  and 
Pamphylia,  of  Egypt  and  the  district  of  Africa  about  Cyrene, 
visitors  from  Rome,  Jews  and  proselytes,  Cretans  and  Arabs 
— we  all  hear  them  tell  in  our  native  tongues  the  mighty  deeds 
of  God.” 

And  they  were  all  amazed  and  bewildered  and  said  to 
one  another, 

“What  can  this  mean  ?” 

But  others  said  derisively, 

“They  have  had  too  much  new  wine!” 

Then  Peter  stood  up  with  the  eleven  around  him,  and  rais¬ 
ing  his  voice  addressed  them. 

“Men  of  Judea,”  he  said,  “and  all  you  residents  of 
Jerusalem,  let  me  explain  this  to  you,  and  pay  attention  to 
what  I  say.  These  men  are  not  drunk  as  you  suppose,  for  it 
is  only  nine  in  the  morning.  But  this  is  what  was  predicted 
by  the  prophet  Joel, 

“‘It  will  come  about  in  the  last  days,  God  srays, 

That  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  mankind; 

Your  sons  and  daughters  will  become  prophets, 

Your  young  men  will  have  visions. 

And  your  old  men  will  have  dreams. 

Even  on  my  slaves,  both  men  and  women, 

I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  in  those  days, 

And  they  will  become  prophets. 

I  will  show  wonders  in  the  sky  above, 

And  signs  on  the  earth  below, 

Blood  and  fire  and  thick  smoke. 

The  sun  will  turn  to  darkness, 


2 : 5-20 


230 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  the  moon  to  blood, 

Before  the  coming  of  the  great,  splendid  Day  of  the  Lord. 

Then  everyone  who  calls  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  will  be 
saved/ 

“Men  of  Israel,  listen  to  what  I  say.  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
as  you  know,  was  a  man  whom  God  commended  to  you  by 
the  wonders,  portents,  and  signs  that  God  did  right  among 
you  through  him.  But  you,  by  the  fixed  purpose  and 
intention  of  God,  handed  him  over  to  wicked  men,  and  had 
him  crucified.  But  God  set  aside  the  pain  of  death  and 
raised  him  up,  for  death  could  not  control  him.  For  David 
says  of  him, 

“  ‘I  constantly  regarded  the  Lord  before  me, 

For  he  is  at  my  right  hand,  so  that  I  may  not  be  displaced. 
Therefore  my  heart  is  glad,  and  my  tongue  rejoices, 

And  my  body  will  still  live  in  hope. 

For  you  will  not  desert  my  soul  in  death, 

You  will  not  let  your  Holy  One  be  destroyed. 

You  have  made  the  ways  of  life  known  to  me, 

And  you  will  fill  me  with  joy  in  your  presence.’ 

“  Brothers,  one  may  say  to  you  confidently  of  the  patriarch 
David  that  he  died  and  was  buried,  and  his  grave  is  here  among 
us  to  this  very  day.  But  as  he  was  a  prophet,  and  knew 
that  God  had  promised  him  with  an  oath  that  he  would  put 
one  of  his  descendants  upon  his  throne,  he  foresaw  the 
resurrection  of  the  Christ  and  told  of  it,  for  he  was  not 
deserted  in  death  and  his  body  was  not  destroyed.  He  is 
Jesus,  whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  and  to  whose  resurrec¬ 
tion  we  are  all  witnesses.  So  he  has  been  exalted  to  God’s 
right  hand,  and  has  received  from  his  Father  and  poured  over 
us  the  holy  Spirit  that  had  been  promised,  as  you  see  and  hear. 

“For  David  did  not  go  up  to  heaven,  but  he  said, 

“  ‘The  Lord  said  to  my  lord,  Sit  at  my  right  hand, 

Until  I  make  your  enemies  your  footstool.’ 

“Therefore  the  whole  nation  of  Israel  must  understand 
that  God  has  declared  this  Jesus  whom  you  crucified  both 
Lord  and  Christ.” 

When  they  heard  this,  they  were  stung  to  the  heart,  and 
they  said  to  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles, 

2:21-37 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


231 


“Brothers,  what  shall  we  do  ?” 

Peter  said  to  them, 

“You  must  repent,  and  every  one  of  you  be  baptized  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  order  to  have  your  sins  forgiven; 
then  you  will  receive  the  gift  of  the  holy  Spirit,  for  the 
promise  of  it  belongs  to  you  and  your  children,  as  well  as  to 
all  those  far  away  whom  the  Lord  our  God  calls  to  him.” 

He  said  much  more  besides  in  giving  his  testimony, 
and  urged  them  to  save  themselves  from  that  crooked  age. 
So  they  welcomed  his  message  and  were  baptized,  and  about 
three  thousand  people  joined  them  that  day.  And  they 
devoted  themselves  to  the  teaching  and  the  society  of  the 
apostles,  the  breaking  of  bread,  and  prayer. 

Everyone  felt  a  sense  of  awe,  and  many  wonders  and  signs 
were  done  by  the  apostles.  The  believers  all  shared  every¬ 
thing  they  had  with  one  another,  and  sold  their  property 
and  belongings,  and  divided  the  money  with  all  the  rest, 
according  to  their  special  needs.  Day  after  day  they  all  went 
regularly  to  the  Temple,  they  broke  their  bread  together  in 
their  homes,  and  they  ate  their  food  with  glad  and  simple 
hearts,  constantly  praising  God  and  respected  by  all  the 
people.  And  every  day  the  Lord  added  people  who  were 
saved  to  their  number. 

Peter  and  John  were  on  their  way  up  to  the  Temple  for 
the  three  o’clock  hour  of  prayer,  when  a  man  who  had  been 
lame  from  his  birth  was  carried  by.  He  used  to  be  placed 
every  day  at  what  was  known  as  the  Beautiful  Gate  of  the 
Temple,  to  beg  from  the  people  on  their  way  into  the  Temple, 
and  when  he  saw  Peter  and  John  on  the  point  of  going  into  the 
Temple  he  asked  them  to  give  him  something.  Peter  fixed 
his  eyes  on  him,  as  John  did  also,  and  said  to  him, 

“Look  at  us!” 

He  looked  at  them,  supposing  that  they  were  going  to 
give  him  something.  But  Peter  said, 

“  I  have  no  silver  or  gold,  but  I  will  give  you  what  I  have. 
In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  walk!” 

And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand  and  raised  him  up, 
and  his  feet  and  ankles  immediately  became  strong,  and  he 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  began  to  walk,  and  he  went  into  the 

2:38-3:8 


232 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Temple  with  them,  walking,  leaping,  and  praising  God. 
When  all  the  people  saw  him  walking  about,  praising  God, 
and  recognized  him  as  the  man  who  used  to  sit  and  beg  at  the 
Beautiful  Gate  of  the  Temple,  they  were  perfectly  astonished 
and  amazed  at  what  had  happened  to  him. 

And  as  he  still  clung  to  Peter  and  John,  all  the  people 
crowded  about  them  in  the  utmost  astonishment  in  what  was 
known  as  Solomon’s  Colonnade.  When  Peter  saw  this,  he 
said  to  the  people. 

“Men  of  Israel,  why  are  you  so  surprised  at  this  ?  Why 
do  you  stare  so  at  us,  as  though  it  were  some  power  or  some 
piety  of  ours  that  had  made  him  able  to  walk  ?  The  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  God  of  our  forefathers,  has 
done  this  honor  to  his  servant  Jesus,  whom  you  betrayed  and 
disowned  before  Pilate,  when  he  had  decided  to  let  him  go. 
But  you  disowned  the  Holy,  Righteous  One.  You  asked  to 
have  a  murderer  released  for  you,  and  killed  the  very  source 
of  life.  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  as  we  can  testify. 
It  is  by  his  power  and  through  faith  in  him  that  this  man 
whom  you  see  and  recognize  has  been  made  strong  again, 
and  it  is  faith  inspired  by  him  that  has  given  him  the  perfect 
health  you  all  see.  Yet  I  know,  brothers,  that  you  did  not 
know  what  you  were  doing,  any  more  than  your  leaders 
did;  it  was  in  this  way  that  God  fulfilled  what  he  by  all  the 
prophets  foretold  that  his  Christ  must  suffer.  So  repent 
and  turn  to  God,  to  have  your  sins  wiped  out,  and  happier 
times  will  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  he  will 
send  Jesus,  your  destined  Christ.  Yet  he  must  remain  in 
heaven  till  the  time  for  the  universal  reformation  of  which 
God  told  in  ancient  times  by  the  lips  of  his  holy  prophets. 
Moses  said,  ‘The  Lord  God  will  raise  up  a  prophet  for  you 
from  among  your  brothers,  as  he  raised  me  up.  You  must 
listen  to  everything  that  he  tells  you.  Anyone  that  will 
not  listen  to  that  prophet  will  be  annihilated  from  among 
the  people.*  Why,  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel  down,  who 
have  spoken,  have  also  foretold  these  days.  You  are  the 
descendants  of  the  prophets  and  the  heirs  of  the  agreement 
that  God  made  with  your  forefathers  when  he  said  to 
Abraham,  ‘Through  your  posterity  all  the  families  of  the 

3:9-25 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


233 


earth  will  be  blessed.’  It  was  to  you  that  God  first  sent  his 
servant  after  he  had  raised  him  from  the  dead,  to  bless  you 
by  making  every  one  of  you  turn  from  his  wickedness.” 

As  they  were  talking  in  this  way  to  the  people,  the  high 
priests,  the  commander  of  the  Temple,  and  the  Sadducees 
came  up  to  them,  greatly  disturbed  because  they  were 
teaching  the  people  and  declaring  that  in  the  case  of  Jesus 
there  had  been  a  resurrection  from  the  dead.  They  arrested 
them,  and  as  it  was  already  evening,  they  shut  them  up 
until  next  morning.  But  many  of  those  who  had  heard  what 
they  said  believed  it,  and  their  number  grew  to  be  about 
five  thousand. 

On  the  next  day  the  leading  members  of  the  council, 
the  elders,  and  the  scribes  met  in  Jerusalem,  with  Annas  the 
high  priest,  Caiaphas,  John,  Alexander,  and  all  who  belonged 
to  the  high  priest’s  family.  They  had  the  apostles  brought 
before  them  and  demanded  of  them, 

“  By  what  power  or  authority  have  men  like  you  done 
this  ?” 

Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit,  said  to  them, 

“Leaders  of  the  people  and  members  of  the  council,  if 
it  is  for  a  benefit  conferred  upon  a  helpless  man,  and  as  to  how 
he  was  cured,  that  we  are  called  to  account  here  today,  you 
and  the  people  of  Israel  must  all  know  that  it  is  through  the 
power  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth  whom  you  crucified  but 
whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  that  he  stands  here 
before  you  well.  He  is  the  stone  that  you  builders  rejected, 
which  has  become  the  cornerstone.  There  is  no  salvation 
through  anyone  else,  for  there  is  no  one  else  in  the  world  who 
has  been  named  to  men  as  their  only  means  of  being  saved.” 

They  were  amazed  to  see  how  outspoken  Peter  and  John 
were,  and  to  find  that  they  were  uneducated  men  with  no 
advantages.  They  recognized  them  as  companions  of  Jesus, 
and  seeing  the  man  who  had  been  cured  standing  beside 
them,  they  had  nothing  to  say.  But  they  ordered  them  out 
of  the  presence  of  the  council  and  conferred  together.  They 
said, 

“What  are  we  to  do  with  these  men  ?  For  it  is  plain  to 
everyone  in  Jerusalem  that  an  extraordinary  wonder  has  been 

3:26-4: 16 


234 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


done  by  them.  We  cannot  deny  that.  But  to  keep  it  from 
spreading  farther  among  the  people,  let  us  warn  them  to  say 
nothing  to  anyone  else  at  all  about  this  person.” 

So  they  called  them  in  and  ordered  them  not  to  speak 
or  teach  at  all  about  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  Peter  and  John 
answered  them, 

“You  must  decide  whether  it  is  right  in  the  sight  of  God 
to  obey  you  instead  of  him,  for  we  cannot  help  telling  of  what 
we  have  seen  and  heard.” 

But  after  further  threats  they  let  them  go,  as  they  could 
find  no  way  to  punish  them,  on  account  of  the  people,  who 
were  all  giving  honor  to  God  for  what  had  happened,  for  the 
man  on  whom  this  wonder  of  healing  had  been  done  was  more 
than  forty  years  old. 

After  being  released,  the  apostles  went  back  to  their 
friends,  and  told  them  what  the  high  priests  and  members 
of  the  council  had  said  to  them.  When  they  heard  it,  with 
one  impulse  they  all  raised  their  voices  to  God  and  said, 

“Master,  it  was  you  who  made  heaven,  earth,  and  sea, 
and  everything  that  is  in  them,  and  who  said  through  the 
holy  Spirit  by  the  lips  of  our  forefather  David,  your  slave, 

“  ‘Why  did  the  heathen  rage, 

And  the  peoples  form  vain  designs  ? 

The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  by, 

And  the  rulers  assembled 

Against  the  Lord  and  against  his  Christ/ 

For  they  have  assembled  here  in  this  city  against  your  holy 
servant  Jesus,  whom  you  had  consecrated- — Herod  and 
Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  heathen  and  the  peoples  of  Israel, 
to  carry  out  what  your  hand  and  will  had  destined  should  : 
happen.  And  now,  Lord,  take  note  of  their  threats,  and  give 
your  slaves  the  power  to  utter  your  message  fearlessly,  when 
you  stretch  out  your  hand  to  heal,  and  signs  and  wonders 
are  done  by  the  power  of  your  holy  servant  Jesus.” 

When  they  had  prayed,  the  place  where  they  were 
meeting  shook,  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit, 
and  fearlessly  uttered  God’s  message. 

There  was  but  one  heart  and  soul  in  the  multitude  who 
had  become  believers,  and  not  one  of  them  claimed  anything 


4:17-32 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


235 


that  belonged  to  him  as  his  own,  but  they  shared  everything 
they  had  with  one  another.  The  apostles  gave  their  testi¬ 
mony  to  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  with  great  power, 
and  God’s  favor  rested  richly  upon  them.  No  one  among 
them  was  in  any  want,  for  any  who  owned  lands  or  houses 
would  sell  them  and  bring  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  and  put 
them  at  the  disposal  of  the  apostles;  then  they  were  shared 
with  everyone  in  proportion  to  his  need.  Joseph,  a  Levite, 
and  a  native  of  Cyprus,  whom  the  apostles  had  named 
Barnabas,  which  means  Son  of  Encouragement,  sold  a  piece 
of  land  that  belonged  to  him,  and  brought  the  proceeds  and 
put  them  at  the  disposal  of  the  apostles. 

But  a  man  named  Ananias,  who,  with  his  wife  Sapphira, 
had  sold  a  piece  of  property,  with  his  wife’s  connivance 
appropriated  some  of  the  price  received,  and  brought  only  a 
part  of  it  to  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  apostles.  And  Peter 
said, 

“Ananias,  why  has  Satan  taken  such  possession  of  your 
heart  that  you  should  lie  to  the  holy  Spirit,  by  appropriating 
part  of  the  price  of  your  land  ?  As  long  as  it  was  unsold 
was  it  not  yours,  and  after  it  was  sold  was  not  the  money  under 
your  control  ?  How  could  you  think  of  doing  such  a  thing  ? 
You  did  not  lie  to  men  but  to  God!” 

When  Ananias  heard  these  words  he  fell  down  and 
expired,  and  everyone  who  heard  them  spoken  was  appalled. 
The  younger  men  got  up  and  wrapping  his  body  up  carried 
it  out  and  buried  it.  About  three  hours  later,  his  wife  came  in, 
without  having  learned  what  had  happened.  Peter  said 
to  her, 

“Tell  me,  did  you  sell  the  land  for  such  and  such  a  sum  ?” 

“Yes,”  she  said,  “That  was  it.” 

Peter  said  to  her, 

“How  could  you  two  agree  to  test  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  ?  There  at  the  door  are  the  footsteps  of  the  men 
who  buried  your  husband,  and  they  will  carry  you  out 
also.” 

She  instantly  fell  down  at  his  feet  and  expired.  When 
the  young  men  came  in  they  found  her  dead,  and  they  carried 
her  out  and  buried  her  beside  her  husband.  And  the  whole 


4:33-5:n 


236 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


church  and  all  who  heard  this  were  appalled.  They  would 
all  meet  together  in  Solomon’s  Colonnade.  None  of  the 
others  dared  to  associate  with  them,  but  the  people  made 
much  of  them,  and  men  and  women  in  increasing  numbers 
believed  in  the  Lord  and  joined  them. 

Signs  and  wonders  in  great  numbers  continued  to  be  done 
among  the  people  by  the  apostles,  so  that  people  would  carry 
their  sick  out  into  the  streets,  and  lay  them  down  on  beds 
and  mats,  to  have  at  least  Peter’s  shadow  fall  on  some  of  them 
as  he  went  by.  Even  from  the  towns  around  Jerusalem 
crowds  would  come  in  bringing  sick  people  and  those  who  were 
troubled  with  foul  spirits,  and  they  were  all  cured. 

This  aroused  the  high  priest  and  all  his  supporters,  the 
party  of  the  Sadducees,  and  filled  them  with  jealousy,  and 
they  had  the  apostles  arrested  and  put  in  the  common  jail. 
But  an  angel  of  the  Lord  opened  the  jail  doors  in  the  night 
and  let  them  out,  and  said  to  them, 

“Go,  take  your  stand  in  the  Temple,  and  tell  the  people 
all  about  this  new  life.” 

And  they  obeyed,  and  about  daybreak  went  into  the 
Temple  and  began  to  teach.  The  high  priest  and  his  party 
came  over  and  called  together  the  council  and  indeed  the 
whole  senate  of  the  Israelites,  and  sent  to  the  prison  to 
have  the  apostles  brought  in.  But  the  attendants  who  went 
for  them  could  not  find  them  in  the  jail,  and  they  came 
back  and  reported, 

“We  found  the  prison  securely  locked  up,  with  the 
sentries  on  duty  at  the  doors,  but  on  opening  the  doors  we 
found  no  one  inside.” 

When  the  commander  of  the  Temple  and  the  high  priests 
heard  this  report,  they  were  very  much  at  a  loss  as  to  what 
would  come  of  it.  Someone  came  over  and  reported  to  them, 

“The  men  that  you  put  in  jail  are  standing  right  here  in 
the  Temple,  teaching  the  people!” 

Then  the  commander  and  his  men  went  and  brought 
them  back,  but  without  using  violence,  for  they  were  afraid 
of  being  stoned  by  the  people.  So  they  brought  them  before 
the  council.  The  high  priest  called  on  them  for  an  explana¬ 
tion. 


5:12-27 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


237 

“We  strictly  forbade  you,”  he  said,  “to  teach  on  this 
authority,  and  here  you  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your 
teaching,  and  propose  to  hold  us  responsible  for  this  man’s 
death !” 

Peter  and  the  apostles  answered, 

“We  must  obey  God  rather  than  men.  The  God  of  our 
forefathers  raised  Jesus  to  life  when  you  had  hung  him  on  a 
cross  and  killed  him.  God  took  him  up  to  his  right  hand  as 
our  leader  and  savior,  in  order  to  give  repentance  and  forgive¬ 
ness  of  sins  to  Israel.  We  and  the  holy  Spirit  which  God  has 
given  to  those  who  obey  him  are  witnesses  to  these  things.” 

When  they  heard  this,  they  were  furious,  and  wanted  to 
kill  them.  But  a  Pharisee  named  Gamaliel,  a  teacher  of  the 
Law  highly  regarded  by  all  the  people,  got  up  in  the  council 
and  ordered  the  men  to  be  removed  for  a  while,  and  then 
said, 

“Men  of  Israel,  take  care  what  you  propose  to  do  with 
these  men.  For  some  time  ago  Theudas  appeared,  claiming 
to  be  a  person  of  importance,  and  a  group  of  men  numbering 
some  four  hundred  joined  him.  But  he  was  killed  and  all  his 
followers  were  dispersed  and  disappeared.  After  him,  at  the 
time  of  the  census,  Judas  of  Galilee  appeared,  and  raised  a 
great  following,  but  he  too  perished,  and  all  his  followers  were 
scattered.  So  in  the  present  case,  I  tell  you,  keep  away  from 
these  men  and  let  them  alone,  for  if  this  idea  or  movement  is 
of  human  origin,  it  will  come  to  naught,  but  if  it  is  from  God, 
you  will  not  be  able  to  stop  it.  You  may  actually  find 
yourselves  fighting  God!” 

They  were  convinced  by  him,  and  they  called  the  apostles 
in  and  had  them  flogged,  and  warned  them  not  to  speak  about 
the  name  of  Jesus,  and  then  let  them  go.  So  they  went  out 
from  before  the  council,  glad  that  they  had  been  thought 
worthy  to  bear  disgrace  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  and  they  did 
not  for  a  single  day  stop  teaching  and  preaching  in  the 
Temple  and  in  private  houses  the  good  news  of  Jesus,  the 
Christ. 

In  those  days,  as  the  number  of  the  disciples  was  increas¬ 
ing,  complaints  were  made  by  the  Greek-speaking  Jews  against 
the  native  Jews  that  their  widows  were  being  neglected  in  the 

5:28-6: 1 


238 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


daily  distribution  of  food.  So  the  Twelve  called  in  the 
whole  body  of  disciples  and  said  to  them, 

“It  is  not  desirable  that  we  should  give  up  preaching 
the  word  of  God  to  keep  accounts.  You,  brothers,  must 
pick  out  from  your  number  seven  men  of  good  standing,  who 
are  wise  and  full  of  the  Spirit,  and  we  will  put  them  in  charge 
of  this  matter,  while  we  devote  ourselves  to  prayer  and  to 
delivering  the  message.” 

This  plan  met  the  approval  of  the  whole  body,  and  they 
selected  Stephen,  a  man  full  of  faith  and  of  the  holy  Spirit, 
with  Philip,  Prochorus,  Nicanor,  Timon,  Parmenas,  and 
Nicholas  of  Antioch,  who  had  been  a  convert  to  Judaism. 
They  brought  these  men  before  the  apostles,  and  they  prayed 
and  laid  their  hands  upon  them. 

So  God’s  message  continued  to  spread;  the  number  of 
the  disciples  in  Jerusalem  increased  rapidly,  and  a  great  many 
priests  accepted  the  faith. 

Stephen,  greatly  strengthened  by  God’s  favor,  did  remark¬ 
able  signs  and  wonders  among  the  people.  But  members  of 
the  synagogue  known  as  that  of  the  Libyans,  Cyreneans, 
and  Alexandrians,  and  men  from  Cilicia  and  Asia  undertook 
to  debate  with  Stephen,  but  they  could  not  meet  his  wisdom 
and  the  inspiration  with  which  he  spoke.  So  they  instigated 
people  to  say, 

“We  have  heard  him  use  abusive  language  about  Moses 
and  about  God.” 

They  aroused  the  people,  the  elders,  and  the  scribes, 
and  they  set  upon  him  and  seized  him,  and  brought  him  before 
the  council.  Then  they  brought  forward  false  witnesses, 
who  said, 

“This  man  is  constantly  saying  things  against  this  holy 
place  and  against  the  Law,  for  we  have  heard  him  say  that 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  will  tear  this  place  down  and  change  the 
customs  that  have  been  handed  down  to  us  by  Moses.” 

Everyone  who  sat  in  the  council  fixed  his  eyes  on  him, 
and  they  saw  that  his  face  was  like  that  of  an  angel.  The 
high  priest  said, 

“Is  this  statement  true  ?” 

He  answered, 

6 : 2-7 : 2 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


2  39 


“  Brothers  and  fathers,  listen.  The  glorious  God  appeared 
to  our  forefather  Abraham  when  he  was  in  Mesopotamia, 
before  he  settled  in  Haran,  and  he  said  to  him,  ‘Leave  your 
country  and  your  relatives  and  come  to  the  country  that  I 
will  show  you.’  So  he  left  the  country  of  the  Chaldeans 
and  went  to  live  in  Haran,  and  from  there  after  the  death  of 
his  father,  God  caused  him  to  move  into  this  country  where 
you  now  live.  He  gave  him  no  property  in  it,  not  a  single 
foot,  but  he  promised  to  give  it  to  him  and  his  posterity  after 
him  permanently,  though  he  had  no  children  at  that  time. 
This  was  what  God  said:  ‘His  descendants  will  be  strangers, 
living  in  a  foreign  land,  and  they  will  be  enslaved  and  misused 
for  four  hundred  years,  and  I  will  sentence  the  nation  that 
has  enslaved  them/  God  said,  ‘and  afterward  they  will  leave 
that  country  and  worship  me  on  this  spot.’  And  he  made  the 
agreement  of  circumcision  with  him,  and  so  Abraham  became 
the  father  of  Isaac  and  circumcised  him  on  the  eighth  day, 
and  Isaac  became  the  father  of  Jacob,  and  Jacob  of  the 
twelve  patriarchs.  The  patriarchs  became  jealous  of  Joseph 
and  sold  him  into  slavery  in  Egypt.  But  God  was  with  him, 
and  rescued  him  from  all  his  troubles,  and  enabled  him  to  win 
favor  and  to  show  wisdom  when  he  stood  before  Pharaoh, 
king  of  Egypt,  and  he  appointed  him  governor  of  Egypt  and  of 
his  whole  household.  Then  a  famine  spread  all  over  Egypt 
and  Canaan,  and  there  was  great  suffering,  and  our  forefathers 
could  not  find  any  food.  But  Jacob  heard  that  there  was 
food  in  Egypt,  and  he  sent  our  forefathers  on  their  first  visit 
there.  On  their  second  visit,  Joseph  made  himself  known 
to  his  brothers,  and  Pharaoh  learned  of  Joseph’s  parentage. 
Then  Joseph  sent  and  invited  his  father  Jacob  and  all  his 
relatives,  seventy-five  in  all,  and  Jacob  came  down  to  Egypt. 
There  he  and  our  forefathers  died,  and  they  were  carried  back 
to  Shechem,  and  laid  in  the  tomb  that  Abraham  had  bought 
for  a  sum  of  money  from  the  sons  of  Hamor  in  Shechem.  As 
the  time  drew  near  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  God  had 
made  to  Abraham,  the  people  became  more  and  more  numer¬ 
ous  in  Egypt,  until  another  king,  who  knew  nothing  about 
Joseph,  became  ruler  of  Egypt.  He  took  advantage  of  our 
people  and  oppressed  our  forefathers,  making  them  abandon 

7:3-I9 


240 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


their  infant  children,  so  that  they  should  not  live.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  Moses  was  born.  He  was  a  wonderfully 
beautiful  child,  and  for  three  months  he  was  taken  care  of 
in  his  father’s  house.  When  he  was  abandoned,  the  daughter 
of  Pharaoh  adopted  him  and  brought  him  up  as  her  own  son. 
So  Moses  was  educated  in  all  the  Egyptian  culture;  he  was 
strong  in  speech  and  action.  When  he  was  forty  years  old, 
it  occurred  to  him  to  visit  his  brothers,  the  descendants  of 
Israel.  Seeing  one  of  them  being  imposed  upon,  he  interfered 
and  defended  the  man  who  was  being  ill  treated,  striking  down 
the  Egyptian.  He  supposed  that  his  brothers  would  under¬ 
stand  that  God  was  using  him  as  the  means  of  delivering  them, 
but  they  did  not.  The  next  day,  he  came  across  two  of  them 
fighting  and  tried  to  pacify  them.  He  said  to  them,  ‘You  are 
brothers.  Why  should  you  injure  each  other  ?’  But  the 
aggressor  thrust  him  ofiF,  saying,  ‘Who  made  you  our  ruler 
and  judge  ?  Do  you  mean  to  kill  me  as  you  did  that  Egyptian 
yesterday  ?’  At  those  words  Moses  fled,  and  went  and  lived 
for  a  time  in  Midian,  and  two  sons  were  born  to  him  there. 
When  forty  years  had  passed,  an  angel  appeared  to  him  in  the 
desert  of  Mount  Sinai,  in  the  flame  of  a  burning  bush.  When 
Moses  saw  it  he  wondered  at  the  sight,  and  when  he  went  up 
to  see  what  it  was,  the  voice  of  the  Lord  said,  *  I  am  the  God  of 
your  forefathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.’ 
Moses  was  terrified  and  did  not  dare  to  look  at  it.  Then 
the  Lord  said  to  him,  ‘Take  off  your  shoes,  for  the  place  where 
you  are  standing  is  holy  ground.  I  have  seen  all  the  oppres¬ 
sion  of  my  people  in  Egypt,  and  I  have  heard  their  groans, 
and  I  have  come  down  to  save  them.  So  come!  I  will  make 
you  my  messenger  to  Egypt!’  The  Moses  whom  they  had 
refused,  saying  to  him,  ‘Who  made  you  our  ruler  and  judge  ?’ 
God  sent  both  to  rule  and  to  deliver  them,  with  the  help  of  the 
angel  who  had  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush.  It  was  he  who 
brought  them  out  of  Egypt,  and  did  wonders  and  signs  there, 
and  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  for  forty  years  in  the  desert.  This  was 
the  Moses  who  said  to  the  descendants  of  Israel,  ‘God  will 
make  a  prophet  rise  from  among  your  brothers  to  teach  you, 
just  as  he  made  me  rise.’  It  was  he  who  with  the  congregation 
in  the  desert  went  between  the  angel  who  spoke  to  him  on 

7:20-38 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


241 


Mount  Sinai  and  our  forefathers,  and  received  and  com¬ 
municated  to  you  utterances  that  still  live.  Yet  our  fore¬ 
fathers  would  not  listen  to  him,  but  thrust  him  off,  and  their 
hearts  turned  back  to  Egypt,  for  they  said  to  Aaron,  ‘Make 
us  gods  to  march  in  front  of  us,  for  as  for  this  Moses,  who 
brought  us  out  of  Egypt,  we  do  not  know  what  has  become  of 
him!’  They  even  made  a  calf  in  those  days,  and  offered 
sacrifice  to  their  idol,  and  held  a  celebration  over  what  their 
own  hands  had  made.  So  God  turned  his  back  on  them 
and  left  them  to  worship  the  starry  host,  just  as  the  Book  of 
the  Prophets  says, 

“‘Was  it  victims  and  sacrifices  that  you  offered  to  me, 
O  house  of  Israel, 

Those  forty  years  in  the  desert  ? 

You  offered  me  the  tent  of  Moloch  and  the  star  of  your 
god  Rompha, 

The  images  you  had  made  to  worship! 

So  I  will  deport  you  beyond  Babylon.’ 

In  the  desert  our  forefathers  had  the  Tent  of  the  Testimony 
built  like  the  model  Moses  had  seen,  just  as  he  who  spoke 
to  him  told  him  to  make  it.  This  tent  was  handed  down  to 
our  forefathers  and  they  brought  it  here  with  them  when 
under  Joshua  they  dispossessed  the  nations  that  God  drove 
out  before  them,  and  it  existed  until  the  time  of  David.  He 
won  the  approval  of  God  and  begged  to  be  allowed  to  provide 
a  dwelling  for  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  Solomon  actually  built 
a  house  for  him.  But  the  Most  High  does  not  live  in  buildings 
made  by  human  hands.  As  the  prophet  says, 

“‘The  sky  is  my  throne, 

And  the  earth  a  footstool  for  my  feet. 

What  house  can  you  build  for  me  ?  says  the  Lord, 

Or  what  place  is  there  where  I  can  rest  ? 

Was  it  not  my  hand  that  made  it  all  ?’ 

You  stubborn  people,  with  heathen  hearts  and  ears,  you  are 
always  opposing  the  holy  Spirit,  just  as  your  forefathers  did! 
Which  of  the  prophets  did  your  forefathers  not  persecute  ? 
They  killed  the  men  who  foretold  the  coming  of  the  Righteous 
One,  whom  you  have  now  betrayed  and  killed — you  who  had 
the  Law  given  to  you  by  angels,  and  did  not  obey  it!” 


7:39-53 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


242 


When  they  heard  that,  they  were  enraged  and  ground 
their  teeth  at  him.  But  he,  full  of  the  holy  Spirit,  looked  up 
to  heaven  and  saw  God’s  glory  and  Jesus  sitting  at  God’s 
right  hand.  And  he  said, 

“Look!  I  can  see  heaven  open,  and  the  Son  of  Man 
sitting  at  God’s  right  hand!” 

But  they  uttered  a  great  shout  and  stopped  their  ears, 
and  they  rushed  upon  him  altogether,  and  dragged  him  out  of 
the  city  and  stoned  him,  the  witnesses  throwing  down  their 
their  clothes  at  the  feet  of  a  young  man  named  Saul.  As 
they  stoned  Stephen,  he  prayed, 

“Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit!” 

Then  falling  on  his  knees,  he  cried  out, 

“Lord,  do  not  lay  this  sin  up  against  them!” 

With  these  words  he  fell  asleep.  And  Saul  entirely 
approved  of  his  being  put  to  death. 

A  great  persecution  of  the  church  in  Jerusalem  broke  out 
that  day,  and  they  were  all  scattered  over  Judea  and  Samaria 
except  the  apostles.  Some  pious  men  buried  Stephen  and 
loudly  lamented  him.  But  Saul  harassed  the  church.  He 
went  into  one  house  after  another,  and  dragging  out  men  and 
women,  put  them  in  prison. 

Those  who  were  scattered  went  from  place  to  place 
preaching  the  good  news  of  the  message.  Philip  reached  the 
city  of  Samaria,  and  proclaimed  the  Christ  to  them.  When 
the  people  heard  Philip  and  saw  the  signs  that  he  showed 
they  were  all  interested  in  what  he  had  to  say,  for  with  loud 
cries  foul  spirits  came  out  of  many  who  had  been  possessed 
by  them,  and  many  paralytics  and  lame  people  were  cured. 
So  there  was  great  rejoicing  in  that  city. 

There  was  a  man  named  Simon  in  the  town,  who  had 
been  amazing  the  Samaritan  people  by  practicing  magic  there, 
and  who  made  great  pretensions.  Everyone  there,  high  and 
low,  made  much  of  him,  and  said, 

“He  must  be  what  is  known  as  the  Great  Power  of  God!” 

They  made  much  of  him  because  for  a  long  time  he  had 
amazed  them  with  his  magic.  But  when  they  believed 
Philip’s  message  of  the  good  news  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  and 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  men  and  women  alike  accepted 

7:54-8:12 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


243 


baptism.  Even  Simon  himself  believed  and  after  his  baptism 
devoted  himself  to  Philip,  and  he  was  amazed  at  seeing  such 
signs  and  great  wonders  taking  place. 

When  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Samaria  had 
accepted  God’s  message,  they  sent  Peter  and  John  there. 
When  they  came,  they  prayed  that  the  Samaritans  might 
receive  the  holy  Spirit,  for  it  had  not  yet  come  upon  any  of 
them;  they  had  simply  been  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Then  they  laid  their  hands  on  them,  and  they 
received  the  holy  Spirit.  But  when  Simon  saw  that  the 
holy  Spirit  was  imparted  through  the  laying  on  of  the  apostles’ 
hands,  he  offered  them  money,  saying, 

“Give  me  also  this  power  to  communicate  the  holy 
Spirit  to  anyone  I  place  my  hands  upon.” 

But  Peter  said  to  him, 

“Go  to  destruction  with  your  money,  for  thinking  you 
could  buy  God’s  gift  with  it!  You  have  no  share  or  part  in 
this  movement,  for  your  heart  is  not  honest  in  the  sight  of 
God.  So  repent  of  this  wickedness  of  yours,  and  pray  to  the 
Lord,  to  see  if  you  may  not  be  forgiven  for  thinking  of  such 
a  thing.  For  I  see  that  you  are  a  bitter  poison  and  a  bundle 
of  iniquity!” 

Simon  answered, 

“You  must  pray  to  the  Lord  for  me,  that  none  of  the 
things  you  have  said  may  happen  to  me!” 

After  they  had  given  their  testimony  and  delivered  the 
Lord’s  message,  they  went  back  to  Jerusalem,  telling  the  good 
news  in  many  Samaritan  villages  on  the  way. 

But  an  angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  Philip, 

“Get  up  and  go  south,  by  the  road  that  runs  from 
Jerusalem  to  Gaza.”  (The  town  is  now  deserted.) 

So  he  got  up  and  went.  Now  there  was  an  Ethiopian 
eunuch,  a  member  of  the  court  of  Candace,  queen  of  Ethiopia, 
her  chief  treasurer,  who  had  come  up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship, 
and  was  on  his  way  home.  He  was  sitting  in  his  car,  reading 
the  prophet  Isaiah.  Then  the  Spirit  said  to  Philip, 

“Go  up  and  stay  by  that  car.” 

Philip  ran  up  and  heard  him  reading  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
and  he  said  to  him 


8:13-30 


244 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“  Do  you  understand  what  you  are  reading  ?” 

“  Why,  how  can  I,”  he  answered,  “  unless  someone  explains 
it  to  me  ?”  And  he  invited  Philip  to  get  in  and  sit  beside 
him.  This  was  the  passage  of  Scripture  that  he  was  reading: 

“Like  a  sheep  he  was  led  away  to  be  slaughtered, 

And  just  as  a  lamb  is  dumb  before  its  shearer, 

He  does  not  open  his  mouth. 

His  sentence  ended  in  his  humiliation. 

Who  will  tell  the  story  of  his  posterity  ? 

For  his  life  is  perished  from  the  earth.” 

“Tell  me,  of  whom  is  the  prophet  speaking  ?”  said  the 
eunuch  to  Philip,  “Of  himself,  or  of  someone  else  ?” 

Then  Philip  began,  and  starting  from  this  passage,  he  told 
him  the  good  news  about  Jesus.  As  they  went  on  along  the 
road,  they  came  to  some  water,  and  the  eunuch  said, 

“Here  is  some  water!  What  is  there  to  prevent  my  being 
baptized  ?” 

So  he  ordered  the  car  to  stop,  and  Philip  and  the  eunuch 
went  down  into  the  water,  and  Philip  baptized  him.  When 
they  came  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  hurried 
Philip  away,  and  the  eunuch  saw  nothing  more  of  him.  Full 
of  joy,  he  went  on  with  his  journey,  while  Philip  found  himself 
at  Ashdod  and  went  on  telling  the  good  news  in  all  the  towns 
all  the  way  to  Caesarea. 

Now  Saul,  still  breathing  murderous  threats  against  the' 
Lord’s  disciples,  went  to  the  high  priest  and  asked  him  for 
letters  to  the  synagogues  in  Damascus,  so  that  if  he  found 
any  men  or  women  there  who  belonged  to  the  Way,  he  might 
bring  them  in  chains  to  Jerusalem.  But  on  his  journey,  as 
he  was  approaching  Damascus,  a  sudden  light  flashed  around 
him  from  heaven,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground.  Then  he  heard 
a  voice  saying  to  him, 

“Saul!  Saul!  Why  do  you  persecute  me 

“Who  are  you,  sir  ?”  he  asked. 

“I  am  Jesus,  whom  you  are  persecuting,”  said  the  voice. 
“But  get  up  and  go  into  the  city,  and  there  you  will  be, 
told  what  you  ought  to  do.” 

Saul’s  fellow-travelers  stood  speechless,  for  they  heard 
the  voice  but  could  not  see  anyone.  When  he  got  up  from 

8:31-9:8 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


245 


the  ground  and  opened  his  eyes  he  could  see  nothing.  They 
had  to  take  him  by  the  hand  and  lead  him  into  Damascus, 
and  for  three  days  he  could  not  see,  and  neither  ate  nor 
drank. 

There  was  at  Damascus  a  disciple  named  Ananias,  and 
the  Lord  said  to  him  in  a  vision, 

“Ananias!” 

And  he  answered, 

“Yes,  Lord!” 

The  Lord  said  to  him, 

“Get  up  and  go  to  the  street  called  the  Straight  Street, 
and  ask  at  the  house  of  Judas  for  a  man  named  Saul,  from 
Tarsus,  for  he  is  there  praying.  He  has  had  a  vision  and  seen 
a  man  named  Ananias  come  in  and  lay  his  hands  on  him,  to 
restore  his  sight.” 

But  Ananias  answered, 

“Lord,  I  have  heard  many  people  tell  of  this  man,  and  the 
harm  he  has  done  to  your  people  in  Jerusalem.  He  is  here 
with  authority  to  arrest  everyone  who  calls  upon  your  name.” 

The  Lord  said  to  him, 

“Go!  This  man  is  the  means  I  have  chosen  for  carrying 
my  name  among  the  heathen  and  their  kings,  and  among  the 
descendants  of  Israel.  For  I  am  going  to  show  him  what  he 
will  have  to  endure  for  my  sake.” 

Ananias  set  out  and  went  to  the  house,  and  there  he  laid 
his  hands  upon  Saul,  and  said  to  him, 

“Saul,  my  brother,  I  have  been  sent  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
who  appeared  to  you  on  your  journey,  so  that  you  may  regain 
your  sight  and  be  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit.” 

Something  like  scales  immediately  dropped  from  his 
eyes,  and  his  sight  was  restored,  and  he  got  up  and  was 
baptized,  and,  after  taking  some  food,  regained  his  strength. 

Saul  stayed  for  some  time  with  the  disciples  at  Damascus, 
and  began  at  once  to  declare  in  the  synagogues  that  Jesus 
was  the  Son  of  God.  Everyone  was  astonished,  and  said, 

“  Is  not  he  the  man  who  made  such  havoc  of  the  people 
in  Jerusalem  who  call  upon  that  name,  and  who  came  here 
especially  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  such  persons  and 
taking  them  before  the  high  priests  ?” 


9:9-21 


246 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  Saul  grew  more  and  more  powerful,  and  bewildered 
the  Jews  who  lived  in  Damascus  by  his  proofs  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ. 

After  some  time  had  passed,  the  Jews  made  a  plot  to  kill 
him,  but  Saul  found  out  about  the  plot.  They  watched  the 
city  gates  day  and  night,  in  order  to  kill  him,  but  his  disciples 
took  him  one  night  and  let  him  down  over  the  wall,  lowering 
him  in  a  basket. 

When  he  reached  Jerusalem  he  tried  to  join  the  disciples, 
and  they  were  all  afraid  of  him,  for  they  could  not  believe 
that  he  was  really  a  disciple.  But  Barnabas  got  hold  of  him 
and  introduced  him  to  the  apostles,  and  he  told  them  how  on 
his  journey  he  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  that  he  had  spoken  to 
him,  and  how  boldly  he  had  spoken  for  the  cause  of  Jesus  at 
Damascus.  After  that,  he  associated  with  them  freely  in 
Jerusalem,  and  spoke  boldly  for  the  Lord’s  cause,  talking 
and  debating  with  the  Greek-speaking  Jews.  But  they  tried 
to  kill  him.  When  the  brothers  found  this  out,  they  took 
him  down  to  Caesarea,  and  sent  him  away  to  Tarsus. 

So  the  church  all  over  Judea,  Galilee,  and  Samaria  was 
at  peace  and  became  established.  It  lived  in  reverence  for 
the  Lord  and,  stimulated  by  the  holy  Spirit,  it  grew  steadily  in 
numbers. 

As  Peter  was  traveling  about  among  them  all,  he  happened 
to  visit  God’s  people  at  Lydda.  There  he  found  a  man  named 
Aeneas,  a  paralytic  who  had  been  bedridden  for  eight  years. 
Peter  said  to  him, 

“Aeneas,  Jesus  Christ  cures  you!  Get  up,  and  make 
your  bed!” 

And  he  got  up  immediately.  And  everybody  who  lived 
in  Lydda  or  in  Sharon  saw  him,  and  they  turned  to  the  Lord. 

Among  the  disciples  at  Joppa  there  was  a  woman  named 
Tabitha,  which  is  in  Greek  Dorcas,  that  is,  gazelle.  She 
had  devoted  herself  to  doing  good  and  to  acts  of  charity.  Just 
at  that  time  it  happened  that  she  had  been  taken  ill  and  had 
died,  and  they  had  washed  her  body  and  laid  her  out  in  a  room 
upstairs.  As  Joppa  was  near  Lydda,  the  disciples  heard  that 
Peter  was  there,  and  they  sent  two  men  to  him,  urging  him  to 
come  over  without  delay.  Peter  went  with  them  at  once. 

9:22-39 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


247 


When  he  arrived,  they  took  him  up  to  the  room  and  all  the 
widows  stood  around  him  crying  and  showing  him  the  shirts 
and  coats  that  Dorcas  had  made  when  she  was  still  with  them. 
But  Peter  put  them  all  out  of  the  room.  Then  he  knelt  down 
and  prayed,  and  then  turning  to  the  body  he  said, 

“Tabitha,  stand  up!” 

She  opened  her  eyes,  and  seeing  Peter,  she  sat  up.  He 
gave  her  his  hand  and  raised  her  to  her  feet,  and  calling  in 
the  believers  and  the  widows,  he  gave  her  back  to  them  alive. 
This  became  known  all  over  Joppa,  and  many  came  to  believe 
in  the  Lord.  So  it  came  about  that  Peter  stayed  for  some 
time  in  Joppa,  at  the  house  of  a  tanner  named  Simon. 

There  was  at  Caesarea  a  man  named  Cornelius,  a  captain 
in  what  was  known  as  the  Italian  regiment.  He  was  a  devout 
man,  who  feared  God,  as  did  all  the  members  of  his  household. 
He  was  liberal  in  charities  to  the  people,  and  always  prayed 
to  God.  One  afternoon,  about  three  o’clock,  he  had  a  vision, 
and  distinctly  saw  an  angel  of  God  come  into  his  room  and 
say  to  him, 

“  Cornelius!” 

He  stared  at  him  in  terror,  and  said, 

“What  is  it,  sir  ?” 

“Your  prayers  and  charities,”  the  angel  answered, 
“have  gone  up  and  been  remembered  before  God.  Now 
send  men  to  Joppa,  for  a  man  named  Simon,  who  is  also  called 
Peter.  He  is  being  entertained  at  the  house  of  a  tanner 
named  Simon,  which  is  close  to  the  sea.” 

When  the  angel  who  had  spoken  to  him  was  gone,  Cor¬ 
nelius  called  two  of  his  servants,  and  a  devout  soldier  who 
was  one  of  his  personal  attendants,  and  after  telling  them 
the  whole  story,  sent  them  to  Joppa. 

The  next  day,  while  they  were  still  on  their  way,  and 
were  just  getting  near  the  town,  Peter  went  up  on  the  housetop 
about  noon  to  pray.  He  got  very  hungry,  and  wanted  some¬ 
thing  to  eat.  While  they  were  getting  it  ready,  he  fell  into  a 
trance,  and  saw  the  sky  opened  and  a  thing  like  a  great 
sheet  coming  down,  lowered  to  the  ground  by  the  four  corners, 
with  all  kinds  of  quadrupeds,  reptiles,  and  wild  birds  in  it. 
And  a  voice  came  to  him, 


9:40-10: 13 


24  8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“Get  up,  Peter!  Kill  something  and  eat  it!” 

But  Peter  said, 

“Never,  sir!  For  I  have  never  eaten  anything  that 
was  not  ceremonially  cleansed.” 

The  voice  came  to  him  again  a  second  time, 

“Do  not  call  what  God  has  cleansed  unclean.” 

This  happened  three  times;  then  the  thing  was  taken 
right  up  into  the  sky. 

While  Peter  was  still  wondering  what  the  vision  he  had 
had  could  mean,  the  men  whom  Cornelius  had  sent  had  asked 
the  way  to  Simon’s  house  and  reached  the  door,  and  they 
called  out  to  ask  if  Simon  who  was  called  Peter  was  staying 
there.  As  Peter  was  pondering  over  his  vision,  the  Spirit 
said  to  him, 

“There  are  two  men  looking  for  you.  Get  up  and  go 
down,  and  go  with  them  without  any  hesitation,  for  I  have 
sent  them.” 

Then  Peter  went  down  to  see  the  men,  and  said  to  them, 

“  I  am  the  man  you  are  asking  for.  What  is  the  reason  for 
your  coming  ?” 

They  answered, 

“Cornelius,  who  is  a  captain,  and  an  upright  and  God¬ 
fearing  man,  and  who  has  a  good  reputation  with  the  whole 
Jewish  nation,  was  directed  by  a  holy  angel  to  send  for  you 
to  come  to  his  house,  and  to  listen  to  what  you  have  to 

yy 

say. 

So  Peter  invited  them  in  and  entertained  them.  The 
next  day  he  started  off*  with  them,  accompanied  by  some  of  the 
brothers  from  Joppa,  and  the  day  after,  he  reached  Caesarea. 
Cornelius  had  invited  in  his  relatives  and  his  intimate  friends 
and  was  waiting  for  him.  When  Peter  actually  came  in, 
Cornelius  met  him  and  fell  at  his  feet  and  made  obeisance  to 
him.  But  Peter  lifted  him  to  his  feet,  and  said, 

“Get  up!  I  am  only  human  myself.” 

So  they  went  in  talking  together,  and  Peter  found  that 
many  people  had  gathered,  and  he  said  to  them, 

“You  know  that  it  is  against  the  Law  for  a  Jew  to 
associate  with  a  foreigner  or  to  visit  one;  but  God  has  taught 
me  not  to  call  anyone  vulgar  or  unclean.  That  was  why, 

to: 14-29 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


249 

when  I  was  sent  for,  I  came  without  any  hesitation.  And  now 
I  want  to  ask  why  you  sent  for  me.” 

Cornelius  answered, 

“Three  days  ago,  just  at  this  time  of  day,  I  was  praying 
in  my  house  about  three  o’clock,  when  a  man  in  dazzling 
clothing  stood  before  me,  and  said,  ‘Cornelius,  your  prayer 
has  been  heard,  and  your  charities  have  been  recalled  to  mind 
by  God.  So  send  to  Joppa  and  invite  Simon  who  is  called 
Peter  to  come  here.  He  is  staying  at  the  house  of  a  tanner 
named  Simon,  close  to  the  sea.’  So  I  sent  for  you  immedi¬ 
ately,  and  you  have  very  kindly  come.  Now  we  are  all  here 
in  God’s  presence,  to  hear  everything  that  the  Lord  has 
instructed  you  to  say.” 

Then  Peter  began  and  said, 

“Now  I  really  understand  that  God  shows  no  partiality, 
but  welcomes  the  man  of  any  nation  who  reveres  him  and 
does  what  is  right.  He  has  sent  his  message  to  Israel’s 
descendants,  and  made  the  good  news  of  peace  known  to  them 
through  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  Lord  of  us  all.  You  know  the 
story  that  has  gone  all  over  Judea,  starting  from  Galilee  after 
the  baptism  that  John  proclaimed,  about  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
and  how  God  endowed  him  with  the  power  of  the  holy  Spirit, 
and  he  went  about  doing  good  and  curing  all  who  were  in  the 
power  of  the  devil,  because  God  was  with  him.  We  are 
witnesses  of  everything  that  he  did  in  the  country  of  the  Jews 
and  in  Jerusalem.  Yet  they  put  him  upon  a  cross  and  killed 
him.  But  God  raised  him  to  life  on  the  third  day  and  caused 
him  to  be  plainly  seen,  not  by  all  the  people,  but  by  witnesses 
whom  God  had  designated  beforehand,  that  is,  by  us,  who  ate 
and  drank  with  him  after  he  had  risen  from  the  dead.  He 
also  directed  us  to  announce  to  the  people  and  bear  solemn 
testimony  that  he  is  the  one  whom  God  has  appointed  to  be 
the  judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead.  It  is  of  him  that  all  the 
prophets  bear  witness  that  everyone  that  believes  in  him 
will  have  his  sins  forgiven  in  his  name.” 

Before  Peter  had  finished  saying  these  words,  the  holy 
Spirit  fell  on  all  who  were  listening  to  his  message.  The 
Jewish  believers  who  had  come  with  Peter  were  amazed 
because  the  gift  of  the  holy  Spirit  had  been  showered  upon 

10:30-45 


250 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  heathen  too,  for  they  heard  them  speaking  in  foreign 
languages  and  declaring  the  greatness  of  God.  Then  Peter 
said, 

“Can  anyone  refuse  the  use  of  water  to  baptize  these 
people  when  they  have  received  the  holy  Spirit  just  as  we 
did  ?” 

And  he  directed  that  they  should  be  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Then  they  asked  him  to  stay  on  there 
a  few  days. 

The  apostles  and  brothers  all  over  Judea  heard  that  the 
heathen  had  also  accepted  God’s  message,  and  when  Peter 
returned  to  Jerusalem,  the  advocates  of  circumcision  took 
him  to  task,  charging  him  with  having  visited  and  eaten  with 
men  who  were  not  Jews.  Then  Peter  explained  the  matter 
to  them  from  beginning  to  end.  He  said, 

“  I  was  praying  in  the  town  of  Joppa,  and  while  in  a  trance 
I  had  a  vision.  Something  like  a  great  sheet  came  down  out 
of  the  sky,  lowered  by  its  four  corners.  It  came  right  down 
to  me,  and  when  I  looked  at  it,  I  saw  in  it  quadrupeds,  wild 
animals,  reptiles,  and  wild  birds.  And  I  heard  a  voice  say  to 
me,  ‘ Get  up,  Peter !  Kill  something  and  eat  it!’  But  I  said, 
‘Never,  sir!  For  nothing  that  was  not  ceremonially  cleansed 
has  ever  passed  my  lips.*  Then  the  voice  from  heaven 
answered  again,  ‘  Do  not  call  what  God  has  cleansed  unclean !’ 
This  happened  three  times;  then  it  was  all  drawn  back  again 
into  the  sky.  Just  at  that  moment  three  men,  who  had  been 
sent  from  Caesarea  to  find  me,  reached  the  house  where  we 
were  staying,  and  the  Spirit  told  me  not  to  hesitate  to  go 
with  them.  These  six  brothers  here  also  went  with  me,  and 
we  went  to  the  man’s  house.  Then  he  told  us  how  he  had 
seen  the  angel  stand  in  his  house  and  say,  ‘Send  to  Joppa  for 
a  man  named  Simon  who  is  also  called  Peter,  and  he  will  tell 
you  things  that  will  save  you  and  your  whole  household.’ 
When  I  began  to  speak  to  them,  the  holy  Spirit  fell  upon 
them  just  as  it  did  upon  us  at  the  beginning,  and  I  remembered 
the  saying  of  the  Lord,  ‘John  baptized  in  water,  but  you  will 
be  baptized  in  the  holy  Spirit.’  So  if  God  had  given  them  the 
same  gift  that  we  received  when  we  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  I,  to  be  able  to  interfere  with  God  ?” 

10:46-11:17 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


251 

When  they  heard  this,  they  made  no  further  objection, 
but  they  gave  honor  to  God,  and  said, 

“Then  God  has  given  even  the  heathen  repentance  and 
the  hope  of  life!” 

The  fugitives  from  the  persecution  that  had  broken  out 
over  Stephen  went  all  the  way  to  Phoenicia,  Cyprus,  and 
Antioch,  but  they  told  the  message  to  none  but  Jews.  There 
were  some  men  from  Cyprus  and  Cyrene  among  them,  how¬ 
ever,  who  when  they  reached  Antioch  spoke  to  the  Greeks 
also,  and  told  them  the  good  news  about  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
Lord’s  hand  was  with  them,  and  there  were  a  great  many  who 
believed  and  turned  to  the  Lord.  The  news  about  them 
came  to  the  ears  of  the  church  in  Jerusalem,  and  they  sent 
Barnabas  all  the  way  to  Antioch.  When  he  reached  there  and 
saw  the  favor  God  had  shown  them,  he  was  delighted,  and  en¬ 
couraged  them  all  to  be  resolute  and  steadfast  in  their  devotion 
to  the  Lord,  for  he  was  an  excellent  man,  full  of  the  holy 
Spirit  and  faith.  So  a  considerable  number  of  people  came 
over  to  the  Lord.  Then  Barnabas  went  over  to  Tarsus  to 
seek  out  Saul,  and  found  him  and  brought  him  to  Antioch. 
The  result  v/as  that  for  a  whole  year  they  met  with  the  church, 
and  taught  large  numbers  of  people,  and  it  was  at  Antioch 
that  the  disciples  first  came  to  be  known  as  Christians. 

About  that  time  some  prophets  from  Jerusalem  came 
down  to  Antioch,  and  one  of  them  named  Agabus  got  up  and 
under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  revealed  the  fact  that  there 
was  going  to  be  a  great  famine  all  over  the  world.  This  was 
the  famine  that  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Claudius.  The 
disciples  determined  to  make  up  a  contribution,  each  according 
to  his  ability,  and  send  it  to  the  brothers  who  lived  in  Judea, 
and  this  they  did,  sending  it  to  the  elders  by  Barnabas  and  Saul. 

About  that  time  King  Herod  laid  violent  hands  upon 
some  who  belonged  to  the  church.  He  had  John’s  brother, 
James,  beheaded,  and  when  he  saw  that  this  gratified  the 
Jews,  he  proceeded  to  arrest  Peter  too,  at  the  time  of  the 
festival  of  Unleavened  Bread.  He  had  him  seized  and  put 
in  jail,  with  four  squads  of  soldiers  to  guard  him,  meaning 
after  the  Passover  to  bring  him  out  before  the  people.  So 
Peter  was  kept  in  the  jail,  but  the  church  was  praying  earnestly 

11:18-12:5 


252 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


to  God  for  him.  The  night  before  Herod  was  going  to  bring 
him  out,  Peter  was  asleep  between  two  soldiers,  and  fastened 
with  two  chains,  and  watchmen  were  at  the  door,  guarding 
the  jail,  when  an  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  at  his  side,  and  a 
light  shone  in  the  room,  and  striking  Peter  on  the  side,  he 
woke  him,  and  said  to  him, 

“Get  up  quickly!” 

The  chains  dropped  from  his  hands,  and  the  angel  said 
to  him, 

“Put  on  your  belt  and  your  sandals!” 

And  he  did  so.  Then  he  said  to  him, 

“Put  on  your  coat  and  follow  me!” 

So  he  followed  him  out  without  knowing  that  what 
the  angel  was  doing  was  real,  for  he  thought  he  was  having  a 
vision.  They  passed  the  first  guard  and  then  the  second, 
and  came  to  the  iron  gate  that  led  into  the  city.  It  opened 
to  them  of  itself,  and  they  passed  out  and  went  along  one 
street,  when  suddenly  the  angel  left  him.  Then  Peter 
came  to  himself,  and  he  said, 

“Now  I  am  certain  that  the  Lord  sent  his  angel  and 
rescued  me  from  the  power  of  Herod  and  all  that  the  Jewish 
people  were  expecting.” 

When  he  realized  his  situation,  he  went  to  the  house 
of  Mary,  the  mother  of  John  who  was  also  called  Mark,  where 
a  number  of  people  were  gathered,  praying.  When  he 
knocked  at  the  outer  door,  a  maid  named  Rhoda  came  to 
answer  it,  and  when  she  recognized  Peter’s  voice,  in  her  joy 
she  did  not  stop  to  open  the  door,  but  ran  in  and  told  them 
that  Peter  was  standing  outside.  But  they  said  to  her, 

“You  are  crazy!” 

But  she  insisted  that  it  was  so.  Then  they  said, 

“Then  it  is  his  guardian  angel!” 

But  Peter  kept  on  knocking.  And  when  they  opened 
the  door  and  saw  him  they  were  amazed.  He  motioned  to 
them  to  be  quiet,  and  then  related  to  them  how  the  Lord  had 
brought  him  out  of  the  prison. 

“Tell  all  this  to  James  and  the  brothers,”  he  said. 

Then  he  left  them  and  went  somewhere  else.  But 
when  morning  came,  there  was  no  little  commotion  among  the 

12:6-18 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


253 


soldiers  as  to  what  could  have  become  of  Peter.  Herod  had 
inquiries  made  for  him,  and  when  he  could  not  find  him,  he 
examined  the  guards  and  ordered  them  to  be  put  to  death. 
Then  he  left  Judea  for  Caesarea,  and  stayed  there. 

Herod  was  very  angry  with  the  people  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon.  So  they  came  before  him  in  a  body,  and  after  winning 
over  Blastus,  the  king’s  chamberlain,  they  asked  for  a 
reconciliation,  because  their  country  depended  upon  the 
king’s  dominions  for  its  food  supply.  So  a  day  was  fixed  and 
on  it  Herod,  dressed  in  his  robes  of  state,  took  his  seat  on  his 
throne  in  the  theater,  and  made  them  an  address,  and  the 
people  shouted  in  applause, 

“It  is  a  god’s  voice,  not  a  man’s!” 

But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  struck  him  down  immediately, 
because  he  did  not  give  the  honor  to  God;  and  he  was  eaten 
by  worms  and  died.  But  the  Lord’s  message  continued  to 
grow  and  spread. 

When  Barnabas  and  Saul  had  performed  their  mission 
to  Jerusalem,  they  went  back,  taking  John  who  was  called 
Mark  with  them. 

There  were  at  Antioch  in  the  church  there  a  number  of 
prophets  and  teachers — Barnabas,  Symeon  who  was  called 
Niger,  Lucius  the  Cyrenian,  Manaen,  who  had  been  brought 
up  with  Herod  the  governor,  and  Saul.  As  they  were  engaged 
in  worshiping  the  Lord  and  in  fasting,  the  holy  Spirit  said, 

“Set  Barnabas  and  Saul  apart  for  me,  for  the  work  to 
which  I  have  called  them.” 

So  after  fasting  and  prayer,  they  laid  their  hands  upon 
them  and  let  them  go. 

Being  sent  out  in  this  way  by  the  holy  Spirit,  they  went 
down  to  Seleucia  and  sailed  from  there  to  Cyprus.  When 
they  reached  Salamis,  they  proclaimed  God’s  message  in  the 
Jewish  synagogues.  They  had  John  with  them  as  their 
assistant. 

They  went  through  the  whole  island  as  far  as  Paphos,  and 
there  they  came  across  a  Jewish  magician  and  false  prophet 
named  Barjesus.  He  was  attached  to  the  governor,  Sergius 
Paulus,  who  was  an  intelligent  man.  He  sent  for  Barnabas 
and  Saul  and  asked  them  to  let  him  hear  God’s  message.  But 

12: 19-13:8 


254 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Elymas  the  magician — for  that  is  the  meaning  of  his  name- 
opposed  them,  and  tried  to  keep  the  governor  from  accepting 
the  faith.  But  Saul,  who  was  also  called  Paul,  was  filled 
with  the  holy  Spirit,  and  looked  at  him  and  said, 

“You  monster  of  underhandedness  and  cunning!  You 
son  of  the  devil!  You  enemy  of  all  that  is  right!  Will  you 
never  stop  trying  to  make  the  Lord’s  straight  paths  crooked  ? 
The  Lord’s  hand  is  right  upon  you,  and  you  will  be  blind  and 
unable  even  to  see  the  sun  for  a  time.” 

Instantly  a  mist  of  darkness  fell  upon  him,  and  he  groped 
about  for  someone  to  lead  him  by  the  hand.  Then  the 
governor,  seeing  what  had  happened,  believed,  and  was 
thunderstruck  at  the  Lord’s  teaching. 

Paul  and  his  companions  sailed  from  Paphos  and  went  to 
Perga  in  Pamphylia.  There  John  left  them  and  returned  to 
Jerusalem,  but  they  went  on  from  Perga  and  reached  Antioch 
in  Pisidia.  On  the  Sabbath  they  went  to  the  synagogue 
there  and  took  seats.  After  the  reading  of  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets,  the  synagogue  authorities  sent  to  them,  saying, 
“Brothers,  if  you  have  any  appeal  to  make  to  the  people, 
proceed.” 

Then  Paul  got  up,  and  motioning  with  his  hand,  said, 

“  Men  of  Israel,  and  you  who  reverence  God,  listen !  The 
God  of  this  people  of  Israel  chose  our  forefathers,  and  made 
the  people  great  during  their  stay  in  Egypt,  and  then  with 
uplifted  hand  led  them  out  of  Egypt.  Then  after  he  had 
taken  care  of  them  for  forty  years  in  the  desert,  he  destroyed 
seven  nations  in  Canaan,  and  settled  them  upon  their  land 
for  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  After  that  he  gave 
them  judges,  down  to  the  time  of  the  prophet  Samuel. 
Then  they  demanded  a  king  and  for  forty  years  God  gave  them 
Saul,  the  son  of  Kish,  a  man  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  Then 
he  removed  him  and  raised  David  up  to  be  their  king,  bearing 
this  testimony  to  him:  ‘I  have  found  in  David  the  son  of 
Jesse  a  man  after  my  own  heart,  who  will  do  all  that  I  desired 
It  is  from  his  descendants  that  God  has  brought  to  Israel 
as  he  promised  to  do,  a  savior  in  Jesus,  in  preparation  for 
whose  coming  John  had  preached  to  all  the  people  of  Israel 
baptism  in  token  of  repentance.  Toward  the  end  of  his 

13:9-25 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


255 


career,  John  said,  ‘What  do  you  suppose  that  I  am  ?  I  am  not 
he!  No!  Someone  is  coming  after  me,  the  shoes  on  whose 
feet  I  am  not  fit  to  untie!’  Brothers!  Descendants  of  the 
house  of  Abraham,  and  those  others  among  you  who  reverence 
God!  It  is  to  us  that  this  message  of  salvation  has  been 
sent.  For  the  people  of  Jerusalem  and  their  leaders  refused 
to  recognize  him,  and  condemned  him,  thus  fulfilling  the 
very  utterances  of  the  prophets  which  are  read  every  Sabbath, 
and  though  they  could  find  no  ground  for  putting  him  to 
death,  they  demanded  of  Pilate  that  he  be  executed.  When 
they  had  carried  out  everything  that  had  been  said  about 
him  in  the  Scriptures,  they  took  him  down  from  the  cross 
and  laid  him  in  a  tomb.  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
and  for  many  days  he  appeared  to  those  who  had  come  up  to 
Jerusalem  with  him  from  Galilee,  and  they  are  now  witnesses 
for  him  to  the  people.  So  we  now  bring  you  the  good  news 
that  God  has  fulfilled  to  us,  their  children,  the  promise  that 
he  made  to  our  forefathers,  by  raising  Jesus  to  life,  just  as  the 
Scripture  says  in  the  second  psalm,  ‘You  are  my  Son !  Today 
I  have  become  your  Father!’  Now  as  evidence  that  he  has 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  never  again  to  return  to  decay,  he 
said  this:  ‘I  will  fulfil  to  him  my  sacred  promises  to  David.’ 
For  in  another  psalm  he  says,  ‘ Y ou  will  not  let  your  Holy  One 
undergo  decay.’  Now  David,  after  serving  God’s  purposes 
in  his  own  generation,  fell  asleep  and  was  laid  among  his 
forefathers  and  did  undergo  decay,  but  he  whom  God  raised 
to  life  did  not  undergo  it.  You  must  understand  therefore, 
my  brothers,  that  through  him  the  forgiveness  of  your  sins  is 
announced  to  you,  and  that  through  union  with  him  everyone 
who  believes  is  cleared  of  every  charge  of  which  the  Law  of 
Moses  could  not  clear  you.  Take  care,  therefore,  that 
what  is  said  in  the  prophets  does  not  prove  true  of  you: 

“‘Look,  you  scoffers!  Then  wonder  and  begone! 

For  I  am  doing  something  in  your  times 

Which  you  will  never  believe  even  when  it  is  related  to 

i>  >> 

you! 

As  they  were  going  out,  the  people  begged  to  have  all  this 
said  to  them  again  on  the  following  Sabbath,  and  after  the 

13:26-43 


256 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


congregation  had  broken  up,  many  of  the  Jews  and  the 
devout  converts  to  Judaism  went  away  with  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  and  they  talked  with  them,  and  urged  them  to 
rely  on  the  favor  of  God. 

The  next  Sabbath  almost  all  the  town  gathered  to  hear 
God’s  message.  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the  crowd,  they  were 
very  jealous,  and  they  contradicted  what  Paul  said  and 
abused  him.  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  spoke  out  plainly, 
and  said, 

“God’s  message  had  to  be  told  to  you  first,  but  since  you 
thrust  it  off  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  eternal  life, 
we  now  turn  to  the  heathen.  For  these  are  the  orders  the 
Lord  has  given  us: 

“  ‘I  have  made  you  a  light  for  the  heathen, 

To  be  the  means  of  salvation  to  the  very  ends  of  the  earth !’  ” 

When  the  heathen  heard  this  they  were  delighted,  and 
praised  God’s  message,  and  all  who  were  destined  for  eternal 
life  believed,  and  the  Lord’s  message  spread  all  over  the 
country.  But  the  Jews  stirred  up  the  well-to-do  religious 
women  and  the  leading  men  of  the  town,  and  they  started  a 
persecution  against  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  drove  them  out 
of  their  district.  They  shook  off  the  dust  from  their  feet 
in  protest,  and  went  to  Iconium.  But  the  disciples  continued 
to  be  full  of  joy  and  of  the  holy  Spirit. 

At  Iconium  in  the  same  way,  they  went  to  the  Jewish 
synagogue  and  spoke  with  such  power  that  a  great  number  of 
both  Jews  and  Greeks  believed.  But  the  Jews  who  refused 
their  message  stirred  up  the  heathen  and  poisoned  their  minds 
against  the  brothers.  They  spent  some  time  there,  speaking 
fearlessly  and  relying  upon  the  Lord,  who  bore  witness  to  his 
gracious  message  by  letting  signs  and  wonders  be  done  by 
them.  But  the  people  of  the  town  were  divided,  some  siding 
with  the  Jews  and  some  with  the  apostles.  And  when  there 
was  a  movement  on  the  part  of  both  the  heathen  and  the 
Jews  with  the  authorities  to  insult  and  stone  them,  and  they 
became  aware  of  it,  they  made  their  escape  to  the  Lycaonian 
towns  of  Lystra  and  Derbe  and  the  country  around,  and  there 
they  went  on  preaching  the  good  news. 

13:44-14:7 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


257 

In  the  streets  of  Lystra  a  man  used  to  sit  who  had  not 
the  use  of  his  feet.  He  had  been  lame  from  his  birth,  and 
had  never  been  able  to  walk.  He  was  listening  to  Paul  as 
he  talked,  when  Paul  looked  at  him  and,  seeing  that  he  had 
faith  that  he  would  be  cured,  said  to  him  loudly, 

“Stand  on  your  feet!” 

And  he  sprang  up  and  began  to  walk.  The  crowds,  seeing 
what  Paul  had  done,  shouted  in  the  Lycaonian  language, 

“The  gods  have  come  down  to  us  in  human  form!” 

They  called  Barnabas  Zeus,  and  Paul,  because  he 
was  the  principal  speaker,  Hermes.  The  priest  of  the 
temple  of  Zeus  that  stood  at  the  entrance  to  the  town  came 
with  crowds  of  people  to  the  gates,  bringing  bulls  and  gar¬ 
lands,  meaning  to  offer  sacrifice  to  them.  But  when  the 
apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul,  heard  of  it,  they  rushed  into  the 
crowd,  tearing  their  clothes  and  shouting, 

“Friends,  why  are  you  doing  this  ?  We  are  only  human 
beings  like  you,  and  we  bring  you  the  good  news  that  you 
should  turn  from  these  follies  to  a  living  God,  who  made 
heaven  and  earth  and  sea  and  all  that  they  contain.  In  ages 
past  he  let  all  the  heathen  follow  their  own  ways;  though  he 
did  not  fail  to  give  some  evidence  about  himself,  through  his 
kindnesses  to  you,  in  sending  you  rain  from  heaven  and 
fruitful  seasons,  giving  you  food  and  happiness  to  your 
heart’s  content.” 

Even  with  these  words  they  could  hardly  restrain  the 
people  from  offering  sacrifice  to  them. 

But  some  Jews  came  from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  and  won 
the  people  over,  and  they  stoned  Paul  and  dragged  him  out 
of  the  town,  thinking  that  he  was  dead.  But  the  brothers 
gathered  about  him,  and  he  got  up  and  re-entered  the  town. 
The  next  day  he  went  on  with  Barnabas  to  Derbe.  They 
proclaimed  the  good  news  in  that  town  and  made  a  number 
of  disciples.  Then  they  returned  to  Lystra,  Iconium,  and 
Antioch,  reassuring  the  disciples  and  encouraging  them  to 
stand  by  the  faith  and  reminding  them  that  we  have  to 
undergo  many  hardships  to  get  into  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
They  appointed  elders  for  them  in  each  church,  and  with 
prayer  and  fasting  they  committed  them  to  the  Lord  in  whom 

14:8-23 


258 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


they  had  believed.  Then  they  crossed  Pisidia  and  entered 
Pamphylia.  They  told  their  message  in  Perga,  then  went  on  to 
Attalia,  and  from  there  they  sailed  back  to  Antioch,  where  they 
had  first  been  commended  to  God’s  favor  for  the  work  which 
they  had  now  finished.  When  they  arrived  there,  they  called 
the  church  together,  and  reported  how  God  had  worked  with 
them,  and  how  he  had  opened  the  way  to  faith  for  the  heathen. 
There  they  stayed  for  a  long  time  with  the  disciples. 

Some  people  came  down  from  Judea  and  began  to  teach 
the  brothers  that  unless  they  were  circumcised  as  Moses 
prescribed,  they  could  not  be  saved.  This  created  a  disturb¬ 
ance  and  a  serious  discussion  between  Paul  and  Barnabas  and 
them,  and  it  was  agreed  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  some 
others  of  their  number  should  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to  confer 
with  the  apostles  and  elders  about  this  question. 

The  church  saw  them  off  upon  their  journey,  and  as  they 
traveled  through  Phoenicia  and  Samaria  they  told  of  the  con¬ 
version  of  the  heathen,  and  caused  great  rejoicing  among  all  the 
brothers.  When  they  reached  J erusalem,  they  were  welcomed 
by  the  church,  the  apostles,  and  the  elders,  and  they  reported 
how  God  had  worked  with  them.  But  some  members  of  the 
Pharisees’  party  who  had  become  believers  got  up  and  said 
that  such  converts  ought  to  be  circumcised  and  told  to  obey 
the  Law  of  Moses. 

The  apostles  and  elders  had  a  meeting  to  look  into  this 
matter.  After  a  long  discussion,  Peter  got  up  and  said  to  them, 

“  Brothers,  you  know  that  in  the  early  days  God  chose 
that  of  you  all  I  should  be  the  one  from  whose  lips  the  heathen 
should  hear  the  message  of  the  good  news  and  believe  it. 
And  God  who  knows  men’s  hearts  testified  for  them  by  giving 
them  the  holy  Spirit  just  as  he  had  done  to  us,  making  no 
difference  between  us  and  them,  but  cleansing  their  hearts 
by  faith.  Then  why  do  you  now  try  to  test  God,  by  putting 
on  the  necks  of  these  disciples  a  yoke  that  neither  our  fore¬ 
fathers  nor  we  have  been  able  to  bear  ?  Why,  we  believe 
that  it  is  by  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  we  are  saved  just 
as  they  are.” 

This  quieted  the  whole  meeting,  and  they  listened  while 
Barnabas  and  Paul  told  of  the  signs  and  wonders  which  God 

14:24-15:12 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


259 

had  done  among  the  heathen  through  them.  When  they 
finished  James  made  this  response: 

“Brothers,  listen  to  me.  Symeon  has  told  how  God 
first  showed  an  interest  in  taking  from  among  the  heathen  a 
people  to  bear  his  name.  And  this  agrees  with  the  predictions 
of  the  prophets  which  say, 

“‘Afterward  I  will  return,  and  rebuild  David’s  fallen 
dwelling. 

I  will  rebuild  its  very  ruins,  and  set  it  up  again, 

So  that  the  rest  of  mankind  may  seek  the  Lord, 

And  all  the  heathen  who  are  called  by  my  name, 

Says  the  Lord,  who  has  been  making  this  known  from 
of  old.’ 

In  my  opinion,  therefore,  we  ought  not  to  put  obstacles  in 
the  way  of  those  of  the  heathen  who  are  turning  to  God,  but 
we  should  write  to  them  to  avoid  anything  that  has  been 
contaminated  by  idols,  immorality,  the  meat  of  strangled 
animals,  and  the  tasting  of  blood.  For  Moses  for  generations 
past  has  had  his  preachers  in  every  town,  and  has  been  read 
aloud  in  the  synagogues  every  Sabbath.” 

Then  the  apostles  and  elders  with  the  whole  church 
resolved  to  select  representatives  and  send  them  with  Paul 
and  Barnabas  to  Antioch.  They  were  Judas  who  was  called 
Barsabbas,  and  Silas,  both  leading  men  among  the  brothers. 
They  were  the  bearers  of  this  letter:  “The  apostles  and  the 
brothers  who  are  elders  send  greeting  to  the  brothers  of 
heathen  birth  in  Antioch,  Syria,  and  Cilicia.  As  we  have 
heard  that  some  of  our  number,  without  any  instructions  from 
us,  have  disturbed  you  by  their  teaching  and  unsettled  your 
minds,  we  have  unanimously  resolved  to  select  representatives 
and  send  them  to  you  with  our  dear  brothers  Barnabas  and 
Paul,  who  have  risked  their  lives  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  So  we  send  Judas  and  Silas  to  you,  to  give  you 
this  same  message  by  word  of  mouth.  For  the  holy  Spirit 
and  we  have  decided  not  to  lay  upon  you  any  burden  but  this 
indispensable  one,  that  you  avoid  whatever  has  been  sacrificed 
to  idols,  the  tasting  of  blood  and  of  the  meat  of  animals  that 
have  been  strangled,  and  immorality.  Keep  yourselves  free 
from  these  things  and  you  will  get  on  well.  Goodbye.” 

15:13-29 


i6o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


So  the  delegates  went  down  to  Antioch  and  gathered  the 
congregation  together  and  delivered  the  letter;  and  when 
they  read  it  they  were  delighted  with  the  encouragement  it 
gave  them.  Judas  and  Silas  were  themselves  prophets,  and 
gave  the  brothers  much  encouragement  and  strength 
by  their  words.  After  they  had  stayed  some  time,  the 
brothers  let  them  go,  with  a  greeting  to  those  who  had  sent 
them. 

But  Paul  and  Barnabas  stayed  on  in  Antioch  and  taught, 
and  with  many  others  preached  the  good  news  of  the  Lord’s 
message. 

Some  time  after,  Paul  said  to  Barnabas, 

“  Come,  let  us  go  bacK  and  revisit  the  brothers  in  each  of 
the  towns  where  we  made  the  Lord’s  message  known,  to  see 
how  they  are  doing.” 

Now  Barnabas  wanted  to  take  John  who  was  called  Mark 
with  them.  But  Paul  did  not  approve  of  taking  with  them 
a  man  who  had  deserted  them  in  Pamphylia  instead  of  going 
on  with  them  to  their  work.  They  differed  so  sharply  about 
it  that  they  separated,  and  Barnabas  took  Mark  and  sailed 
for  Cyprus.  But  Paul  selected  Silas  and  set  out,  the  brothers 
commending  him  to  the  Lord’s  favor.  He  traveled  through 
Syria  and  Cilicia  and  strengthened  the  churches. 

He  went  to  Derbe  and  Lystra  also.  At  Lystra  there  was 
a  disciple  named  Timothy  whose  mother  was  a  Jewish 
Christian  while  his  father  was  a  Greek,  and  who  was  highly 
thought  of  by  the  brothers  in  Lystra  and  Iconium.  Paul 
wished  to  take  this  man  on  with  him,  and  so  on  account 
of  the  Jews  in  that  district  he  had  him  circumcised,  for 
they  all  knew  that  his  father  was  a  Greek.  As  they  traveled 
on  from  one  town  to  another,  they  passed  on  to  the  brothers 
for  their  observance  the  decisions  that  had  been  reached  by 
the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem.  So  the  churches  became 
stronger  and  stronger  in  the  faith,  and  their  numbers  in¬ 
creased  from  day  to  day. 

Thus  they  crossed  Phrygia  and  Galatia.  The  holy  Spirit 
prevented  them  from  delivering  the  message  in  Asia,  and  when 
they  reached  Mysia  they  tried  to  get  into  Bithynia,  but  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus  would  not  permit  it,  and  they  passed  Mysia 

15:30-16:8 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


261 

and  came  down  to  Troas.  There  Paul  had  a  vision  one 
night;  a  Macedonian  was  standing  appealing  to  him  and 
saying, 

“Come  over  to  Macedonia  and  help  us.” 

As  soon  as  he  had  this  vision,  we  made  efforts  to  get  on  to 
Macedonia,  concluding  that  God  had  called  us  to  tell  them 
the  good  news. 

So  we  sailed  from  Troas,  and  ran  a  straight  course  to 
Samothrace,  and  next  day  to  Neapolis.  From  there  we  went 
to  Philippi,  a  Roman  garrison  town,  and  the  principal  place 
in  that  part  of  Macedonia. 

In  this  town  we  stayed  for  some  days.  On  the  Sabbath 
we  went  outside  the  gates,  to  the  bank  of  the  river  where  we 
supposed  there  was  a  praying  place,  and  we  sat  down  and 
talked  with  the  women  who  gathered  there.  One  of  our 
hearers  was  a  woman  named  Lydia,  a  dealer  in  purple  goods, 
from  the  town  of  Thyatira.  She  was  a  believer  in  God,  and 
the  Lord  touched  her  heart,  and  led  her  to  accept  Paul’s 
teaching.  When  she  and  her  household  were  baptized,  she 
appealed  to  us,  and  said, 

“If  you  are  really  convinced  that  I  am  a  believer  in  the 
Lord,  come  and  stay  at  my  house.”  And  she  insisted  upon 
our  coming. 

Once  as  we  were  on  our  way  to  the  praying  place  a  slave- 
girl  met  us  who  had  the  gift  of  ventriloquism  and  made  her 
masters  a  great  deal  of  money  by  her  fortune-telling.  This 
girl  would  follow  Paul  and  the  rest  of  us,  crying  out, 

“These  men  are  slaves  of  the  Most  High  God,  and  they 
are  making  known  to  you  a  way  of  salvation.” 

She  did  this  for  a  number  of  days,  until  Paul,  very  much 
annoyed,  turned  and  said  to  the  spirit  in  her, 

“In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  I  order  you  to  come  out  of 
her!”  And  it  came  out  instantly. 

But  when  her  masters  saw  that  their  hopes  of  profits 
were  gone,  they  seized  Paul  and  Silas,  dragged  them  to  the 
public  square,  to  the  authorities,  and  brought  them  before 
the  chief  magistrates. 

“These  men,”  they  said,  “are  Jews,  and  they  are  making 
a  great  disturbance  in  our  town.  They  are  advocating 

16:9—21 


262 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


practices  which  it  is  against  the  law  for  us  as  Romans  to  adopt 
or  observe.” 

The  crowd  also  joined  in  the  attack  on  them,  and  the 
magistrates  had  them  stripped  and  beaten.  After  beating 
them  severely,  they  put  them  in  jail,  and  gave  the  jailer  orders 
to  keep  close  watch  of  them.  He,  having  had  such  strict 
orders,  put  them  into  the  inner  cell,  and  fastened  their  feet  in 
the  stocks.  But  about  midnight,  as  Paul  and  Silas  were  pray¬ 
ing  and  singing  hymns  of  praise  to  God,  and  the  prisoners 
were  listening  to  them,  suddenly  there  was  such  an  earth¬ 
quake  that  the  jail  shook  to  its  foundations;  all  the  doors 
flew  open,  and  everybody’s  chains  were  unfastened.  It  woke 
up  the  jailer,  and  when  he  saw  that  the  doors  of  the  jail  were 
open,  he  drew  his  sword  and  was  just  going  to  kill  himself, 
supposing  that  the  prisoners  had  escaped.  But  Paul  shouted 
out, 

“Do  not  do  yourself  any  harm!  We  are  all  here!” 

Then  he  called  for  lights  and  rushed  in,  and  fell  trembling 
at  the  feet  of  Paul  and  Silas.  He  led  them  out  of  the  jail 
and  said  to  them, 

“Gentlemen,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?” 

“Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,”  they  said,  “and  you 
and  your  household  will  be  saved!” 

Then  they  told  God’s  message  to  him  and  to  all  the 
members  of  his  household.  And  right  then  in  the  night,  he 
took  them  and  washed  their  wounds,  and  he  and  all  his 
household  were  baptized  immediately.  Then  he  took  them 
up  to  his  house  and  offered  them  food,  and  he  and  all  his  house¬ 
hold  were  very  happy  over  their  new  faith  in  God.  In  the 
morning  the  magistrates  sent  policemen  with  instructions  to 
let  the  men  go.  The  jailer  reported  this  message  to  Paul, 
saying, 

“The  magistrates  have  sent  orders  that  you  are  to  be 
released.  So  you  can  take  your  leave  and  go  unmolested.” 

But  Paul  said  to  them, 

“They  had  us  beaten  in  public  without  giving  us  a  trial, 
and  put  us  in  j ail,  although  we  are  Roman  citizens !  And  now 
are  they  going  to  dismiss  us  secretly  ?  By  no  means!  Have 
them  come  here  themselves  and  take  us  out!” 

16:22-37 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


263 


The  policemen  delivered  this  message  to  the  magistrates, 
and  they  were  alarmed  when  they  heard  that  they  were 
Roman  citizens,  and  came  and  conciliated  them,  and  took 
them  out  of  the  jail,  and  begged  them  to  leave  the  town. 
After  leaving  the  jail  they  went  to  Lydia’s  house,  and  saw  the 
brothers  and  encouraged  them.  Then  they  left  the  town. 

After  passing  through  Amphipolis  and  Apollonia,  they 
reached  Tnessalonica,  where  the  Jews  had  a  synagogue.  Paul 
went  to  it  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do,  and  for  three  Sabbaths 
he  discussed  the  Scriptures  with  them,  explaining  them  and 
showing  that  the  Christ  had  to  suffer  and  rise  from  the  dead. 

“ Jesus,”  he  said,  ‘‘of  whom  I  am  telling  you,  is  the 
Christ!” 

He  convinced  some  of  them,  and  they  joined  Paul  and 
Silas,  along  with  a  great  many  devout  Greeks  and  a  number  of 
the  principal  women.  This  offended  the  Jews  and  they 
gathered  some  unprincipled  loafers,  formed  a  mob  and  started 
a  riot  in  the  town.  They  attacked  Jason’s  house,  to  find 
them  and  bring  them  out  among  the  people.  As  they  could 
not  find  them,  they  dragged  Jason  and  some  of  the  brothers 
before  the  town  magistrates,  shouting, 

“The  men  who  have  made  trouble  all  over  the  world 
have  come  here  too,  and  Jason  has  taken  them  in.  They 
all  disobey  the  emperor’s  decrees,  and  claim  that  someone 
else  called  Jesus  is  king.” 

The  crowd  and  the  magistrates  were  very  much  excited 
at  hearing  this,  and  they  put  Jason  and  the  others  under 
bonds  before  they  let  them  go. 

The  brothers  sent  Paul  and  Silas  away  immediately, 
in  the  course  of  the  following  night,  to  Berea.  On  arriving 
there  they  went  to  the  Jewish  synagogue.  The  Jews  there 
were  more  high-minded  than  those  at  Thessalonica,  and 
received  the  message  with  great  eagerness  and  studied  the 
Scriptures  every  day,  to  find  out  whether  it  was  true. 
Many  of  them  became  believers  and  so  did  no  small  number 
of  Greek  women  of  position,  and  men  too.  But  when  the 
Jews  at  Thessalonica  found  out  that  God’s  message  had  been 
delivered  at  Berea  by  Paul,  they  came  there  too,  to  excite 
and  stir  up  the  populace.  Then  the  brothers  immediately 

16:38-17: 14 


264 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


sent  Paul  off  to  the  coast,  while  Silas  and  Timothy  stayed 
behind.  The  men  who  went  with  Paul  took  him  all  the  way 
to  Athens,  and  came  back  with  instructions  for  Silas  and 
Timothy  to  rejoin  him  as  soon  as  possible. 

While  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens,  he  was  exasperated 
to  see  how  idolatrous  the  city  was.  Pie  had  discussions  at  the 
synagogue  with  the  Jews  and  those  who  worshiped  with  them, 
and  every  day  in  the  public  square  with  any  whom  he  hap¬ 
pened  to  find.  Some  of  the  Epicurean  and  Stoic  philosphers 
debated  with  him.  Some  of  them  said, 

“What  is  this  rag-picker  trying  to  make  out  ?” 

Others  said, 

“He  seems  to  be  preaching  some  foreign  deities.” 

This  was  because  he  was  telling  the  good  news  of  Jesus 
and  the  resurrection.  So  they  took  him  and  brought  him  to 
the  council  of  the  Areopagus  and  said, 

“May  we  know  just  what  this  new  teaching  of  yours  is  ? 
Some  of  the  things  you  tell  us  sound  strange  to  us,  and  we 
want  to  know  just  what  they  mean.” 

For  all  Athenians  and  all  visitors  there  from  abroad  used 
to  spend  all  their  time  telling  or  listening  to  something  new. 
Then  Paul  stood  up  in  the  middle  of  the  council  and  said, 
“Men  of  Athens,  from  every  point  of  view  I  see  that 
you  are  extremely  religious.  For  as  I  was  going  about  and 
looking  at  the  things  you  worship,  I  even  found  an  altar  with 
this  inscription:  ‘To  an  Unknown  God/  So  it  is  what  you 
already  worship  in  ignorance  that  I  am  now  telling  you  of. 
God  who  created  the  world  and  all  that  is  in  it,  since  he  is 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  does  not  live  in  temples  built  by 
human  hands,  nor  is  he  waited  on  by  human  hands  as  though 
he  were  in  need  of  anything,  for  he  himself  gives  all  men  life 
and  breath  and  everything.  From  one  forefather  he  has 
created  every  nation  of  mankind,  and  made  them  live  all  over 
the  face  of  the  earth,  fixing  their  appointed  times  and  the 
limits  of  their  lands,  so  that  they  might  search  for  God,  and 
perhaps  grope  for  him  and  find  him,  though  he  is  never  far 
from  any  of  us.  For  it  is  through  union  with  him  that  we  live 
and  move  and  exist,  as  some  of  your  poets  have  said, 

“  ‘For  we  are  also  his  offspring.’ 

17:15-28 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


265 


So  if  we  are  God’s  children  we  ought  not  to  imagine  that 
the  divine  nature  is  like  gold  or  silver  or  stone,  wrought  by 
human  art  and  thought.  While  God  overlooked  those  times 
of  ignorance,  he  now  calls  upon  all  men  everywhere  to  repent, 
since  he  has  fixed  a  day  on  which  he  will  justly  judge  the  world 
through  a  man  whom  he  has  appointed,  and  whom  he  has 
guaranteed  to  all  men  by  raising  him  from  the  dead.” 

When  they  heard  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  some  of 
them  sneered,  but  others  said, 

“We  should  like  to  hear  you  again  on  this  subject.” 

So  Paul  left  the  council.  Some  persons  joined  him,  how¬ 
ever,  and  became  believers,  among  them  Dionysius,  a  member 
of  the  council,  and  a  woman  named  Damaris,  and  some  others. 

After  this  he  left  Athens  and  went  to  Corinth.  There  he 
found  a  Jew  named  Aquila,  a  native  of  Pontus,  who  had 
recently  come  from  Italy  with  his  wife  Priscilla,  because 
Claudius  had  ordered  all  Jews  to  leave  Rome.  Paul  went  to 
see  them,  and  as  they  practiced  the  same  trade,  he  stayed 
with  them,  and  they  worked  together,  for  they  were  tent- 
makers.  Every  Sabbath  he  would  preach  in  the  synagogue, 
and  try  to  convince  both  Jews  and  Greeks. 

By  the  time  Silas  and  Timothy  arrived  from  Macedonia, 
Paul  was  absorbed  in  preaching  the  message,  emphatically 
assuring  the  Jews  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  But  as  they 
contradicted  and  abused  him,  he  shook  his  clothes  in  protest, 
and  said  to  them, 

“Your  blood  be  on  your  own  heads!  I  am  not  to  blame 
for  it!  After  this  I  will  go  to  the  heathen.” 

So  he  moved  to  the  house  of- a  devout  proselyte  named 
Titius  Justus,  which  was  next  door  to  the  synagogue.  But 
Crispus,  the  leader  of  the  synagogue,  believed  in  the  Lord, 
and  so  did  all  his  household,  and  many  of  the  people  of 
Corinth  heard  Paul  and  believed  and  were  baptized.  One 
night  the  Lord  said  to  Paul  in  a  vision, 

“  Do  not  be  afraid!  Go  on  speaking  and  do  not  give  up, 
for  I  am  with  you,  and  no  one  shall  attack  you  or  injure  you, 
for  I  have  many  people  in  this  city.” 

So  he  settled  there  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  taught 
them  God’s  message. 

17:29-18:11 


266 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


While  Gallic  was  governor  of  Greece  the  Jews  made  a 
concerted  attack  upon  Paul,  and  brought  him  before  the 
governor. 

“This  fellow,”  they  said,  “is  trying  to  induce  people 
to  worship  God  in  ways  that  are  against  the  law.” 

Before  Paul  could  open  his  lips,  Gallio  said  to  the  Jews, 

“If  some  misdemeanor  or  rascality  were  involved,  Jews, 
you  might  reasonably  expect  me  to  listen  to  you.  But  as  it 
is  only  a  question  of  words  and  titles  and  your  own  law,  you 
must  look  after  it  yourselves.  I  refuse  to  decide  such  matters.” 

And  he  drove  them  away  from  the  court.  Then  they 
all  seized  Sosthenes,  the  leader  of  the  synagogue,  and  beat 
him  in  front  of  the  court.  But  Gallio  paid  no  attention  to  it. 

Paul  stayed  some  time  longer,  and  then  bade  the  brothers 
goodbye  and  sailed  for  Syria,  with  Priscilla  and  Aquila. 
At  Cenchreae  he  had  his  hair  cut,  because  of  a  vow  he  had 
been  under.  When  they  reached  Ephesus  he  left  them  there. 
He  went  to  the  synagogue  there  and  had  a  discussion  with  the 
Jews.  They  asked  him  to  stay  longer,  but  he  would  not 
consent.  He  bade  them  goodbye,  saying, 

“I  will  come  back  to  you  again  if  it  is  God’s  will.” 

Then  he  sailed  from  Ephesus.  When  he  reached 
Caesarea,  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem  and  paid  his  respects  to 
the  church,  and  then  went  on  to  Antioch.  After  spending 
some  time  there,  he  started  out  again,  and  traveled  system¬ 
atically  through  Galatia  and  Phrygia,  reassuring  all  the 
disciples. 

A  Jew  named  Apollos,  a  native  of  Alexandria,  came  to 
Ephesus.  He  was  an  eloquent  man,  skilful  in  the  use  of  the 
Scriptures.  He  had  had  some  instruction  about  the  Way  of 
the  Lord,  and  he  talked  with  burning  zeal  and  taught  pains¬ 
takingly  about  Jesus,  though  he  knew  of  no  baptism  but 
John’s.  He  spoke  very  confidently  in  the  synagogue  at  first, 
but  when  Priscilla  and  Aquila  heard  him,  they  took  him  home 
and  explained  the  Way  of  God  to  him  more  correctly.  As 
he  wanted  to  cross  to  Greece,  the  brothers  wrote  to  the 
disciples  there,  urging  them  to  welcome  him.  On  his  arrival 
there  he  was  of  great  service  to  those  who  through  God’s 
favor  had  become  believers,  for  he  vigorously  refuted  the 

18: 12-28 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES  267 

Jews  in  public,  and  showed  from  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ. 

It  was  while  Apollos  was  in  Corinth  that  Paul,  after 
passing  through  the  interior,  reached  Ephesus.  Finding 
some  disciples  there,  he  said  to  them, 

“Did  you  receive  the  holy  Spirit  when  you  became 
believers  ?” 

“No,”  they  said  to  him,  “we  never  even  heard  that 
there  was  a  holy  Spirit.” 

“How  then  were  you  baptized  ?”  he  asked. 

“With  John’s  baptism,”  they  answered. 

“John’s  baptism  was  a  baptism  in  token  of  repentance,” 
said  Paul,  “and  he  told  the  people  to  believe  in  him  who  was 
to  follow  him,  that  is,  in  Jesus.” 

When  they  heard  this,  they  were  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  when  Paul  laid  his  hands  on  them,  the 
holy  Spirit  came  on  them,  and  they  spoke  in  foreign  tongues 
and  with  prophetic  inspiration.  There  were  about  twelve 
of  them  in  all. 

He  went  to  the  synagogue  there,  and  for  three  months 
spoke  confidently,  holding  discussions  and  trying  to  persuade 
them  about  the  Kingdom  of  God.  But  as  some  of  them 
were  obstinate  and  refused  to  believe,  finding  fault  with  the 
Way  before  the  people,  he  left  them,  and  withdrew  the 
disciples,  and  held  daily  discussions  in  the  lecture-room  of 
Tyrannus.  This  went  on  for  two  years,  so  that  everyone 
who  lived  in  Asia,  Greeks  as  well  as  Jews,  heard  the  Lord’s 
message. 

God  did  such  extraordinary  wonders  by  means  of  Paul 
that  people  took  to  the  sick  handkerchiefs  or  aprons  he  had 
used,  and  they  were  cured  of  their  diseases,  and  the  evil  spirits 
went  out  of  them.  Some  Jews  who  went  from  place  to  place 
casting  out  demons  tried  to  use  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  the  cases  of  people  who  had  evil  spirits  in  them,  saying, 

“I  command  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  whom  Paul 
preaches!” 

A  Jewish  high  priest  named  Sceva  had  seven  sons  who 
were  doing  this.  But  the  evil  spirit  answered, 

“I  know  Jesus,  and  I  know  of  Paul,  but  who  are  you  ?” 


268 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was  sprang  at 
them,  and  overpowered  them  all,  with  such  violence  that  they 
ran  out  of  the  house  tattered  and  bruised.  This  came  to 
be  known  to  everyone  who  lived  in  Ephesus,  Greeks  as  well  as 
Jews,  and  great  awe  came  over  them  all,  and  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  came  to  be  held  in  high  honor.  Many  who  became 
believers  would  come  and  openly  confess  their  former 
practices.  A  number  of  people  who  had  practiced  magic 
brought  out  their  books  and  burned  them  publicly.  The 
value  of  these  was  estimated  and  found  to  be  ten  thousand 
dollars.  So  the  Lord’s  message  went  on  growing  wonderfully 
in  influence  and  power. 

After  these  events,  Paul,  under  the  Spirit’s  guidance, 
resolved  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  to  revisit  Macedonia  and 
Greece  on  the  way. 

“After  I  have  gone  there,”  he  said,  “I  must  see  Rome 
also.” 

He  sent  two  of  his  assistants,  Timothy  and  Erastus,  to 
Macedonia,  while  he  stayed  on  for  a  while  in  Asia. 

Just  at  that  time  a  great  commotion  arose  about  the 
Way.  A  silversmith  named  Demetrius  was  making  large 
profits  for  his  workmen  by  the  manufacture  of  silver  shrines 
of  Artemis.  He  got  the  workmen  in  that  and  similar  trades 
together,  and  said  to  them, 

“Men,  you  know  that  this  business  is  the  source  of  our 
prosperity,  and  you  see  and  hear  that  not  only  in  Ephesus  but 
almost  all  over  Asia,  this  man  Paul  has  persuaded  and  drawn 
away  numbers  of  people,  telling  them  that  gods  made  by 
human  hands  are  not  gods  at  all.  There  is  danger,  therefore, 
not  only  that  this  business  of  ours  will  be  discredited,  but  also 
that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Artemis  will  be  neglected 
and  the  magnificence  of  her  whom  all  Asia  and  the  world 
worship  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past!” 

When  they  heard  this,  they  became  very  angry,  and 
cried, 

“Great  Artemis  of  Ephesus!” 

So  the  commotion  spread  all  over  the  city,  and  by  a 
common  impulse  the  people  rushed  to  the  theater,  dragging 
with  them  two  Macedonians,  Gaius  and  Aristarchus,  Paul’s 

19:16-29 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


269 


traveling  companions.  Paul  wanted  to  go  before  the  people 
himself,  but  the  disciples  would  not  allow  it.  Some  of  the 
religious  authorities  also,  who  were  friends  of  his,  sent  to  him 
and  begged  him  not  to  venture  into  the  theater.  Meanwhile 
the  people  were  shouting,  some  one  thing  and  some  another, 
for  the  meeting  was  in  confusion,  and  most  of  them  had  no 
idea  why  they  had  come  together.  Some  of  the  crowd  called 
upon  Alexander,  as  the  Jews  had  pushed  him  to  the  front, 
and  he  made  a  gesture  with  his  hand  and  was  going  to  speak 
in  defense  of  them  to  the  people.  But  when  they  saw  that 
he  was  a  Jew,  a  great  shout  went  up  from  them  all,  and  they 
cried  for  two  hours, 

“Great  Artemis  of  Ephesus!” 

At  last  the  recorder  quieted  the  mob  and  said, 

“Men  of  Ephesus,  who  in  the  world  does  not  know  that 
the  city  of  Ephesus  is  the  guardian  of  the  temple  of  the 
great  Artemis,  and  of  the  image  that  fell  down  from  the  sky  ? 
So  as  these  facts  are  undeniable,  you  must  be  calm,  and  not 
do  anything  reckless.  For  you  have  brought  these  men  here, 
though  they  have  not  been  guilty  of  disloyalty  nor  uttered 
any  blasphemy  against  our  goddess.  If  Demetrius  and  his 
fellow-craftsmen  have  a  charge  to  bring  against  anyone,  there 
are  the  courts  and  the  governors;  let  them  take  legal  action. 
But  if  you  require  anything  beyond  that,  it  must  be  settled 
before  the  regular  assembly.  For  we  are  in  danger  of  being 
charged  with  rioting  in  connection  with  today’s  events,  though 
there  is  really  nothing  about  this  commotion  that  we  will  not 
be  able  to  explain.” 

With  these  words  he  dismissed  the  assembly. 

When  the  confusion  was  over,  Paul  sent  for  the  disciples 
and  encouraged  them.  Then  he  bade  them  goodbye  and 
started  for  Macedonia.  After  traveling  through  those 
districts  and  giving  the  people  a  great  deal  of  encouragement, 
he  went  on  to  Greece  where  he  stayed  for  three  months.  Just 
as  he  was  going  to  sail  for  Syria,  the  Jews  made  a  plot  against 
him,  and  he  made  up  his  mind  to  return  by  way  of  Macedonia. 
He  was  accompanied  by  Sopater  of  Berea,  the  son  of  Pyrrhus, 
Aristarchus  and  Secundus,  from  Thessalonica,  Gaius  of 
Derbe,  Timothy,  and  Tychicus  and  Trophimus,  from  Asia. 

19:30-20:4 


270 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


They  went  on  to  Troas  and  waited  for  us  there,  while  we  sailed 
from  Philippi  after  the  festival  of  Unleavened  Bread,  and 
joined  them  at  Troas  five  days  later.  There  we  stayed  a  week. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  we  had  met  for  the 
breaking  of  bread,  Paul  addressed  them,  as  he  was  going  away 
the  next  morning,  and  he  prolonged  his  address  until  midnight. 
There  were  a  great  many  lamps  in  the  upstairs  room  where 
we  met,  and  a  young  man  named  Eutychus,  who  was  sitting 
at  the  window,  became  very  drowsy  as  Paul’s  address  grew 
longer  and  longer,  and  finally  went  fast  asleep  and  fell  from  the 
third  story  to  the  ground,  and  was  picked  up  for  dead.  But 
Paul  went  downstairs,  and  threw  himself  upon  him,  and  put 
his  arms  around  him. 

“Do  not  be  alarmed,”  he  said,  “he  is  still  alive.” 

Then  he  went  upstairs  again,  and  broke  the  bread,  and  ate, 
and  after  a  long  talk  with  them  that  lasted  until  daylight,  he 
went  away.  They  took  the  boy  home  alive,  and  were 
greatly  comforted. 

We  had  already  gone  on  board  the  ship  and  sailed  for 
Assos,  intending  to  take  Paul  on  board  there,  for  that  was  the 
arrangement  he  had  made,  as  he  intended  to  travel  there  by 
land.  So  when  he  met  us  at  Assos,  we  took  him  on  board 
and  went  on  to  Mitylene.  Sailing  from  there,  we  arrived  off 
Chios  on  the  following  day.  On  the  next  we  crossed  to 
Samos,  and  on  the  next  we  reached  Miletus.  For  Paul  had 
decided  to  sail  past  Ephesus,  so  that  he  would  not  have  to  lose 
any  time  in  Asia,  for  he  was  hurrying  to  reach  Jerusalem,  if 
possible,  by  the  day  of  the  Harvest  Festival. 

From  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus  for  the  elders  of  the 
church.  When  they  came,  he  said  to  them, 

“You  know  well  enough  how  I  lived  among  you  all  the 
time  from  the  first  day  I  set  foot  in  Asia,  and  how  I  served 
the  Lord  most  humbly  and  with  tears,  through  all  the  trials 
that  I  encountered  because  of  the  plots  of  the  Jews.  I  never 
shrank  from  telling  you  anything  that  was  for  your  good,  nor 
from  teaching  you  in  public  or  at  your  houses,  but  earnestly 
urged  Greeks  as  well  as  Jews  to  turn  to  God  in  repentance 
and  to  believe  in  our  Lord  Jesus.  I  am  here  now  on  my  way 
to  Jerusalem,  for  the  Spirit  compels  me  to  go  there,  though 

20: 5-22 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


271 


I  do  not  know  what  will  happen  to  me  there,  except  that  in 
every  town  I  visit,  the  holy  Spirit  warns  me  that  imprisonment 
and  persecution  are  awaiting  me.  But  my  life  does  not 
matter,  if  I  can  only  finish  my  race  and  do  the  service  intrusted 
to  me  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  of  declaring  the  good  news  of  God’s 
favor.  Now  I  know  perfectly  well  that  none  of  you  among 
whom  I  went  about  preaching  the  Kingdom  of  God  will  ever 
see  my  face  again.  Therefore  I  declare  to  you  today  that  I 
am  not  responsible  for  the  blood  of  any  of  you,  for  I  have  not 
shrunk  from  letting  you  know  God’s  purpose  without  reserve. 
Take  care  of  yourselves  and  of  the  whole  flock,  of  which  the 
holy  Spirit  has  made  you  guardians,  and  be  shepherds  of  the 
church  of  God,  which  he  got  at  the  cost  of  his  own  life.  I 
know  that  after  I  am  gone  savage  wolves  will  get  in  among 
you  and  will  not  spare  the  flock,  and  from  your  own  number 
men  will  appear  and  teach  perversions  of  the  truth  in  order 
to  draw  the  disciples  away  after  them.  So  you  must  be  on 
your  guard  and  remember  that  for  three  years,  night  and  day, 
I  never  stopped  warning  any  one  of  you,  even  with  tears. 
Now  I  commit  you  to  the  Lord,  and  to  the  message  of  his 
favor,  which  will  build  you  up  and  give  you  a  place  among 
those  whom  God  has  consecrated.  I  have  never  coveted 
anyone’s  gold  or  silver  or  clothes.  You  know  well  enough 
that  these  hands  of  mine  provided  for  my  needs  and  my 
companions.  I  showed  you  in  every  way  that  by  hard  work 
like  that  we  must  help  those  who  are  weak  and  remember 
the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  he  said,  ‘It  makes  one 
happier  to  give  than  to  be  given  to.’  ” 

With  these  words,  he  knelt  down  with  them  all  and 
prayed.  They  all  wept  aloud,  and  throwing  their  arms  about 
Paul’s  neck  they  kissed  him  affectionately,  for  they  were 
especially  saddened  at  his  saying  that  they  would  never  see 
his  face  again.  Then  they  accompanied  him  to  the  ship. 

When  the  parting  was  over  and  we  had  sailed,  we  made  a 
straight  run  to  Cos  and  the  next  day  to  Rhodes  and  from 
there  to  Patara.  There  we  found  a  ship  bound  for  Phoenicia, 
and  we  went  on  board  and  sailed  on  it.  After  sighting  Cyprus 
and  leaving  it  on  our  left,  we  sailed  for  Syria,  and  put  in  at 
Tyre,  for  the  ship  was  to  unload  her  cargo  there.  So  we 

20:23-21:4 


2J2 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


looked  up  the  disciples  there  and  stayed  a  week  with  them. 
Instructed  by  the  Spirit,  they  warned  Paul  not  to  set  foot  in 
Jerusalem.  But  when  our  time  was  up,  we  left  there  and  went 
on,  and  all  of  them  with  their  wives  and  children  escorted  us 
out  of  the  town.  There  we  knelt  down  on  the  beach  and 
prayed;  then  we  bade  one  another  goodbye,  and  we  went  on 
board  the  ship,  and  they  went  home. 

After  making  the  run  from  Tyre,  we  landed  at  Ptolemais, 
where  we  greeted  the  brothers  and  spent  a  day  with  them. 
The  next  day  we  left  there  and  went  on  to  Caesarea,  where  we 
went  to  the  house  of  Philip  the  missionary,  who  was  one  of  the 
Seven,  and  stayed  with  him.  He  had  four  unmarried 
daughters  who  had  the  gift  of  prophecy.  We  spent  a  number 
of  days  there,  and  in  the  course  of  them  a  prophet  named 
Agabus  came  down  from  Judea.  He  came  to  see  us  and  took 
Paul’s  belt  and  bound  his  own  feet  and  hands  with  it,  and 
said, 

“This  is  what  the  holy  Spirit  says:  ‘The  Jews  at 
Jerusalem  will  bind  the  man  who  owns  this  belt  like  this,  and 
will  hand  him  over  to  the  heathen !’  ” 

When  we  heard  this,  we  and  the  people  there  all  begged 
him  not  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem.  Then  Paul  answered, 

“What  do  you  mean  by  crying  and  breaking  my  heart  ? 
I  am  ready  not  only  to  be  bound  at  Jerusalem  but  to  die 
there  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus.” 

So  as  he  would  not  yield,  we  gave  up  urging  him,  and  said, 

“The  Lord’s  will  be  done!” 

After  this  we  made  our  preparations  and  started  for 
Jerusalem.  Some  of  the  disciples  from  Caesarea  went  with  us 
and  took  us  to  the  house  of  Mnason,  a  man  from  Cyprus,  one 
of  the  early  disciples,  to  spend  the  night.  When  we  reached 
Jerusalem,  the  brothers  there  gave  us  a  hearty  welcome. 
On  the  next  day  we  went  with  Paul  to  see  James,  and  all  the 
elders  came  in.  Paul  greeted  them  warmly  and  gave  a 
detailed  account  of  what  God  had  done  among  the  heathen 
through  his  efforts.  They  praised  God  when  they  heard  it,* 
and  they  said  to  him, 

“You  see,  brother,  how  many  thousand  believers  there 
are  among  the  Jews,  all  of  them  zealous  upholders  of  the  Law. 

21:5-20 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


273 


They  have  been  told  that  you  teach  all  Jews  who  live  among 
the  heathen  to  turn  away  from  Moses,  and  that  you  tell  them 
not  to  circumcise  their  children  nor  to  observe  the  old  customs. 
What  then  ?  They  will  be  sure  to  hear  that  you  have  come. 
So  do  what  we  tell  you.  We  have  four  men  here  who  are 
under  a  vow.  Join  them,  undergo  the  rites  of  purification 
with  them,  and  pay  their  expenses  so  that  they  can  have 
their  heads  shaved.  Then  everybody  will  understand  that 
there  is  no  truth  in  the  stories  about  you,  but  that  you  yourself 
observe  the  Law.  As  for  the  heathen  who  have  become 
believers,  we  have  written  them  our  decision  that  they  must 
avoid  anything  that  has  been  contaminated  by  idols,  the 
tasting  of  blood,  the  meat  of  strangled  animals,  and  immo¬ 
rality. ’’ 

Then  Paul  joined  the  men  and  went  through  the  rites 
of  purification  with  them  and  the  next  day  went  to  the 
Temple  to  give  notice  of  the  time  when,  upon  the  offering  of 
the  sacrifice  for  each  one  of  them,  their  days  of  purification 
would  be  over. 

The  seven  days  were  almost  over  when  the  Jews  from  Asia 
caught  sight  of  him  in  the  Temple,  and  stirred  up  all  the 
crowd  and  seized  him,  shouting, 

“Men  of  Israel,  help!  This  is  the  man  who  teaches 
everybody  everywhere  against  our  people  and  the  Law  and 
this  place,  and  besides  he  has  actually  brought  Greeks  into  the 
Temple  and  desecrated  this  sacred  place.” 

For  they  had  previously  seen  Trophimus  of  Ephesus  with 
him  in  the  city,  and  they  supposed  that  Paul  had  brought 
him  into  the  Temple.  The  whole  city  was  thrown  into  confu¬ 
sion,  and  the  people  hurried  together,  and  seized  Paul  and 
dragged  him  outside  of  the  Temple,  the  gates  of  which  were 
immediately  shut.  They  were  trying  to  kill  him  when  the 
news  reached  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  that  all  Jerusalem 
was  in  a  tumult.  He  immediately  got  some  officers  and  men 
and  hurried  down  among  them,  and  when  they  saw  the 
colonel  and  the  soldiers  they  stopped  beating  Paul.  Then  the 
colonel  came  up  and  seized  him,  and  ordered  him  to  be  bound 
with  two  chains,  and  then  inquired  who  he  was  and  what  he 
had  been  doing.  Some  of  the  crowd  shouted  one  thing  and 

21:21—34 


274 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


some  another,  and  as  he  could  not  find  out  the  facts  on 
account  of  the  confusion,  he  ordered  him  to  be  taken  into 
the  barracks.  When  Paul  got  to  the  steps,  he  was  actually- 
carried  by  the  soldiers,  on  account  of  the  violence  of  the  mob, 
for  the  mass  of  people  followed  them  shouting, 

“Kill  him!” 

Just  as  they  were  going  to  take  him  into  the  barracks, 
Paul  said  to  the  colonel, 

“May  I  say  something  to  you  ?” 

“  Do  you  know  Greek  ?”  the  colonel  asked.  “  Are  you  not 
the  Egyptian  who  some  time  ago  raised  the  four  thousand 
cut-throats  and  led  them  out  into  the  desert  ?” 

“I  am  a  Jew,”  Paul  answered,  “from  Tarsus,  in  Cilicia,  a 
citizen  of  no  insignificant  city.  I  beg  you  to  let  me  speak  to 
the  people.” 

He  gave  him  permission,  and  Paul  standing  on  the  steps 
made  a  gesture  to  the  people,  and  when  they  had  become  quiet 
he  spoke  to  them  in  Hebrew. 

“Brothers  and  fathers,”  he  said,  “listen  to  what  I  have 
to  say  in  my  defense.” 

When  they  heard  him  speak  to  them  in  Hebrew,  they 
became  even  more  quiet,  and  he  said, 

“I  am  a  Jew,  and  I  was  born  in  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  but  was 
brought  up  here  in  this  city,  and  thoroughly  educated  under 
the  teaching  of  Gamaliel  in  the  Law  of  our  forefathers.  I  was 
zealous  for  God,  just  as  all  of  you  are  today.  I  persecuted 
this  Way  even  to  the  death,  and  bound  both  men  and  women 
and  put  them  in  prison,  as  the  high  priest  and  the  whole 
council  will  bear  me  witness.  In  fact,  they  gave  me  letters 
to  the  brothers  in  Damascus  and  I  went  there  to  bind  those 
who  were  there  and  bring  them  back  to  Jerusalem  to  be 
punished.  But  on  my  way,  as  I  was  approaching  Damascus, 
suddenly  about  noon,  a  blaze  of  light  flashed  around  me  from 
heaven,  and  I  fell  upon  the  ground  and  heard  a  voice  say  to 
me,  ‘Saul!  Saul!  Why  do  you  persecute  me  I  answered, 
‘Who  are  you,  sir?’  ‘I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth/  he  said, 
‘whom  you  are  persecuting.’  The  men  who  were  with  me 
saw  the  light,  but  they  did  not  hear  the  voice  of  the  one  who 
was  speaking  to  me.  Then  I  said,  ‘What  am  I  to  do,  sir  ?’ 

21:35—22:10 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


275 

The  Lord  said  to  me,  ‘Get  up  and  go  into  Damascus.  There 
you  will  be  told  of  all  you  are  destined  to  do.’  As  I  could  not 
see,  because  of  the  dazzling  light,  my  companions  had  to  lead 
me  by  the  hand,  and  so  I  reached  Damascus.  There  a  man 
named  Ananias,  a  devout  observer  of  the  Law,  highly 
respected  by  all  the  Jews  who  lived  there,  came  to  see  me, 
and  standing  by  my  side,  said  to  me,  ‘Saul,  my  brother, 
regain  your  sight!’  Then  instantly  I  regained  my  sight  and 
looked  at  him,  and  he  said,  ‘The  God  of  our  forefathers  has 
appointed  you  to  learn  his  will  and  to  see  his  Righteous  One 
and  hear  him  speak,  for  you  shall  be  his  witness  before  all  men 
of  what  you  have  seen  and  heard.  And  now,  why  do  you 
delay  ?  Get  up  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  out  your  sins, 
calling  on  his  name.’  After  I  had  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
one  day  when  I  was  praying  in  the  Temple,  I  fell  into  a  trance, 
and  saw  him  saying  to  me,  ‘Make  haste  and  leave  Jerusalem 
at  once,  for  they  will  not  accept  your  evidence  about  me.’ 
And  I  said,  ‘Lord,  they  know  that  I  used  to  go  through  one 
synagogue  after  another,  and  to  imprison  and  flog  those  who 
believed  in  you,  and  when  the  blood  of  your  witness  Stephen 
was  being  shed,  I  stood  by  and  approved  it,  and  took  charge 
of  the  clothes  of  the  men  who  killed  him.’  But  he  said  to  me, 
‘Go!  I  will  send  you  far  away  to  the  heathen.’  ” 

They  had  listened  to  him  until  he  said  that,  but  then  they 
shouted, 

“Kill  him  and  get  him  out  of  the  world!  A  creature  like 
that  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  live!” 

As  they  were  shouting  and  throwing  their  clothes  about 
and  flinging  dust  into  the  air,  the  colonel  ordered  Paul  brought 
into  the  barracks,  and  gave  directions  that  he  should  be  exam¬ 
ined  under  the  lash,  so  that  he  might  find  out  why  they  made 
such  an  outcry  against  him.  But  when  they  had  strapped 
him  up,  Paul  said  to  the  officer  who  was  standing  near, 

“Is  it  legal  for  you  to  flog  a  Roman  citizen,  and  without 
giving  him  a  trial  ?” 

Upon  hearing  this,  the  officer  went  to  the  colonel  and 
reported  it. 

“What  do  you  propose  to  do  ?”  he  said.  “This  man  is  a 
Roman  citizen.” 

22 : 1 1-26 


27  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Then  the  colonel  came  to  Paul  and  said, 

“Tell  me,  are  you  a  Roman  citizen  ?” 

“Yes,”  he  said. 

“I  had  to  pay  a  large  sum  for  my  citizenship,”  said  the 
colonel. 

“But  I  am  a  citizen  by  birth,”  said  Paul. 

Then  the  men  who  had  been  going  to  examine  him 
immediately  left  him,  and  the  colonel  himself  was  alarmed  to 
find  that  Paul  was  a  Roman  citizen  and  that  he  had  had  him 
bound. 

The  next  day,  as  he  wished  to  find  out  the  real  reason 
why  the  Jews  denounced  him,  he  had  him  unbound  and 
ordered  the  high  priests  and  the  whole  council  to  assemble, 
and  took  Paul  down  and  brought  him  before  them.  Paul; 
looked  steadily  at  the  council  and  said, 

“  Brothers,  I  have  done  my  duty  to  God  with  a  perfectly 
clear  consceince  up  to  this  very  day.” 

At  this  the  high  priest  Ananias  ordered  the  people  who 
were  standing  nearest  to  him  to  strike  him  on  the  mouth. 
Then  Paul  said  to  him, 

“God  will  strike  you,  you  white-washed  wall!  Do  you 
sit  there  to  try  me  by  the  Law,  and  order  them  to  strike  me 
in  violation  of  the  Law  ?” 

But  the  people  who  stood  near  him  said, 

“Do  you  mean  to  insult  God’s  high  priest  ?” 

“I  did  not  know,  brothers,”  said  Paul,  “that  he  was  high 
priest,  for  the  Scripture  says,  ‘You  shall  not  say  anything 
against  any  ruler  of  your  people.’  ” 

Knowing  that  part  of  them  were  Sadducees  and  part  of 
them  Pharisees,  Paul  called  out  in  the  council, 

“Brothers,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  and  the  son  of  Pharisees! 
It  is  for  my  hope  for  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  that  I  am 
on  trial!” 

When  he  said  that,  a  dispute  arose  between  the  Pharisees 
and  the  Sadducees,  and  the  meeting  was  divided.  For  the 
Sadducees  hold  that  there  is  no  resurrection  and  that  there 
are  no  angels  or  spirits,  while  the  Pharisees  believe  in  all 
three.  So  there  was  a  great  uproar,  and  some  scribes  of  the 
Pharisees’  party  got  up  and  insisted, 

22:27-23:9 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


277 

“We  find  nothing  wrong  with  this  man.  Suppose  some 
spirit  or  angel  really  spoke  to  him!” 

As  the  dispute  was  becoming  violent,  the  colonel  began 
to  be  afraid  that  they  would  tear  Paul  in  pieces,  and  ordered 
the  soldiers  to  go  down  and  get  him  away  from  them  and 
bring  him  into  the  barracks. 

On  the  following  night  the  Lord  stood  beside  him  and 
said, 

“Courage!  For  just  as  you  have  testified  for  me  in 
Jerusalem,  you  must  testify  in  Rome  also.” 

In  the  morning,  the  Jews  made  a  conspiracy  and  took  an 
oath  not  to  eat  or  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul.  There 
were  more  than  forty  of  them  involved  in  this  plot,  and  they 
went  to  the  high  priests  and  elders  and  said  to  them, 

“We  have  taken  a  solemn  oath  not  to  touch  anything  to 
eat  till  we  have  killed  Paul.  Now  you  and  the  council 
must  suggest  to  the  colonel  that  he  should  have  Paul 
brought  down  to  you,  as  you  mean  to  look  into  his  case  more 
carefully,  and  we  will  be  ready  to  kill  him  before  he  gets 
down.” 

But  Paul’s  nephew  heard  of  the  plot,  and  he  came  and 
got  into  the  barracks,  and  told  Paul.  Paul  called  one  of  the 
officers  and  said  to  him, 

“Take  this  young  man  to  the  colonel,  for  he  has  some¬ 
thing  to  tell  him.” 

So  he  took  him  to  the  colonel,  and  said, 

“The  prisoner  Paul  called  me  to  him  and  asked  me  to 
bring  this  young  man  to  you,  as  he  has  something  to  say  to 
you. 

So  the  colonel  took  him  by  the  arm  and  stepping  aside 
where  they  could  be  alone,  asked, 

“What  is  it  that  you  have  to  tell  me  ?” 

“The  Jews,”  he  answered,  “have  agreed  to  ask  you  to 
bring  Paul  down  to  the  council  tomorrow,  on  the  ground  that 
you  mean  to  have  a  fuller  inquiry  made  into  his  case.  But 
do  not  let  them  persuade  you,  for  more  than  forty  of  them 
are  lying  in  wait  for  him,  and  they  have  taken  an  oath  not  to 
eat  or  drink  till  they  have  killed  him.  They  are  all  ready 
now,  and  are  only  waiting  to  get  your  promise.” 


23:10-21 


278 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


So  the  colonel  sent  the  youth  away,  directing  him  not  to 
tell  anyone  that  he  had  given  him  this  information.  Then 
he  called  in  two  of  his  officers  and  said  to  them, 

“  Get  two  hundred  men  ready  to  march  to  Caesarea,  with 
seventy  mounted  men  and  two  hundred  spearmen,  by  nine 
o’clock  tonight.’*  They  were  also  to  provide  horses  for 
Paul  to  ride,  so  that  they  might  take  him  in  safety  to  Felix, 
the  governor,  to  whom  he  wrote  a  letter  to  this  effect: 

“Claudius  Lysias  sends  greetings  to  his  Excellency  Felix, 
the  governor.  This  man  had  been  seized  by  the  Jews  and  they 
were  just  going  to  kill  him  when  I  came  upon  them  with  my 
men  and  rescued  him,  as  I  had  learned  that  he  was  a  Roman 
citizen.  As  I  wanted  to  learn  what  charge  they  made  against 
him,  I  had  him  brought  before  their  council,  and  found  that 
their  accusations  had  to  do  with  questions  about  their  Law, 
but  that  he  was  not  charged  with  anything  that  would  call 
for  his  death  or  imprisonment.  As  I  have  been  informed 
that  a  plot  against  him  is  brewing,  I  am  sending  him  on  to 
you  at  once,  and  directing  his  accusers  to  present  their 
charges  against  him  before  you.” 

Then  the  soldiers  took  Paul,  as  they  had  been  ordered 
to  do,  and  escorted  him  as  far  as  Antipatris  that  night.  The 
next  day,  they  returned  to  the  barracks,  leaving  the  mounted 
men  to  go  on  with  him,  and  they  on  reaching  Caesarea*^ 
delivered  the  letter  to  the  governor  and  handed  Paul  over  to 
him.  After  reading  the  letter,  he  asked  Paul  what  province 
he  belonged  to,  and  when  he  learned  that  he  was  from  Cilicia, 
he  said, 

“I  will  hear  your  case  as  soon  as  your  accusers  arrive.” 

And  he  gave  orders  that  he  should  be  kept  in  Herod’s 

Five  days  later,  the  high  priest  Ananias  came  down  with 
some  of  the  elders  and  an  attorney  named  Tertullus,  and 
they  presented  their  case  against  Paul  before  the  governor. 
When  Paul  had  been  summoned,  Tertullus  began  the  prosecu¬ 
tion. 

“Your  Excellency  Felix,”  he  said,  “since  through  your 
efforts  we  enjoy  perfect  peace,  and  through  your  foresight 
this  nation  is  securing  needed  reforms,  we  always  and  every- 

23:22-24:3 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


279 


where  acknowledge  this  with  profound  gratitude.  But— not 
to  detain  you  too  long — I  beg  you  to  be  kind  enough  to  give 
us  a  brief  hearing.  For  we  have  found  this  man  a  pest  and 
a  disturber  of  the  peace  among  Jews  all  over  the  world.  He 
is  a  ringleader  of  the  Nazarene  sect,  and  actually  tried  to 
desecrate  the  Temple,  but  we  caught  him.  If  you  will 
examine  him  yourself  you  will  be  able  to  find  out  from  him 
all  about  the  things  we  charge  him  with.” 

The  Jews  also  joined  in  these  charges,  and  said  that  the 
statement  was  true.  The  governor  made  a  sign  to  Paul  to 
speak,  and  he  answered, 

“As  I  know  that  for  many  years  you  have  acted  as  judge 
for  this  nation,  I  cheerfully  undertake  my  defense,  for  it  is 
not  more  than  twelve  days  ago,  as  you  can  easily  satisfy 
yourself,  that  I  went  up  to  worship  at  Jerusalem,  and  they 
have  never  found  me  debating  with  anyone  in  the  Temple, 
or  creating  a  disturbance  among  the  people  in  the  synagogues 
or  about  the  city,  and  they  cannot  sustain  the  charges  they 
have  just  made  against  me.  I  admit  that  in  worshiping  the 
God  of  my  forefathers  I  follow  the  way  of  life  that  they  call  a 
sect,  but  I  believe  everything  that  is  taught  in  the  Law  or 
written  in  the  prophets,  and  I  have  the  same  hope  in  God 
that  they  themselves  hold,  that  there  is  to  be  a  resurrection 
of  the  upright  and  the  wicked.  Therefore  I  strive  always  to 
have  a  clear  conscience  before  God  and  men.  After  an 
absence  of  several  years,  I  had  come  to  bring  charitable 
donations  for  my  nation,  and  to  offer  sacrifice.  I  had  under¬ 
gone  the  rites  of  purification  and  was  occupied  with  these 
matters  when  they  found  me  in  the  Temple,  with  no  crowd  or 
disturbance  at  all.  But  there  were  some  Jews  from  Asia 
who  ought  to  be  here  before  you  and  to  present  their  charges 
if  they  have  any  to  make  against  me.  Or  let  these  men 
themselves  tell  what  they  found  wrong  in  me  when  I  appeared 
before  the  council — unless  it  was  the  one  thing  I  shouted  out 
as  I  stood  among  them — ‘It  is  on  the  question  of  the  resur¬ 
rection  of  the  dead  that  I  am  here  on  trial  before  you 
today!’  ” 

Then  Felix,  who  was  somewhat  well  informed  about  the 
Way,  adjourned  the  trial,  saying  to  the  Jews, 


24:4-22 


28o 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“When  Lysias,  the  colonel,  comes  down  here,  I  will  decide 
your  case.” 

He  ordered  the  officer  to  keep  Paul  in  custody,  but  to 
allow  him  some  freedom,  and  not  to  prevent  his  friends  from 
looking  after  him. 

Some  days  later  Felix  came  with  his  wife  Drusilla,  who 
was  Jewish,  and  sent  for  Paul  and  heard  what  he  had  to  say 
about  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  as  he  talked  of  uprightness, 
self-control,  and  the  coming  judgment,  Felix  became  alarmed, 
and  said, 

“You  may  go  for  the  present.  I  will  find  time  later  to 
send  for  you.” 

At  the  same  time  he  hoped  to  get  money  from  Paul, 
and  for  that  reason  he  used  to  send  for  him  very  often  and 
talk  with  him. 

But  when  two  whole  years  had  passed,  Felix  was  suc¬ 
ceeded  by  Porcius  Festus,  and  as  he  wanted  to  gratify  the 
Jews,  Felix  left  Paul  in  prison. 

Three  days  after  his  arrival  in  the  province,  Festus  went 
up  from  Caesarea  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  high  priests  and 
Jewish  leaders  presented  their  charges  against  Paul,  and 
begged  him  as  a  favor  to  order  Paul  to  come  to  Jerusalem, 
plotting  to  kill  him  on  the  way.  Festus  answered  that  Paul 
was  being  kept  in  custody  at  Caesarea,  and  that  he  himself 
was  going  there  soon. 

“So  have  your  principal  men  go  down  with  me,”  he  said, 
“and  present  charges  against  the  man,  if  there  is  anything 
wrong  with  him.” 

After  staying  only  eight  or  ten  days  there,  he  went  down 
to  Caesarea,  and  the  next  day  took  his  place  in  the  judge’s 
chair,  and  ordered  Paul  brought  in.  When  he  came,  the 
Jews  who  had  come  down  from  Jerusalem  surrounded  him, 
and  made  a  number  of  serious  charges  against  him,  which  they 
could  not  substantiate.  Paul  said  in  his  own  defense, 

“I  have  committed  no  offense  against  the  Jewish  Law 
or  the  Temple  or  the  emperor.” 

Then  Festus,  wishing  to  gratify  the  Jews,  said  to  Paul, 
“Will  you  go  up  to  Jerusalem  and  be  tried  there  before 
me  on  these  charges  ?” 

24:23-25:9 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


281 


1 


But  Paul  said, 

“I  am  standing  before  the  emperor’s  court,  where  I 
ought  to  be  tried.  I  have  done  the  Jews  no  wrong,  as  you 
can  easily  see.  If  I  am  guilty  and  have  done  anything  that 
deserves  death,  I  do  not  refuse  to  die;  but  if  there  is  no  truth 
in  the  charges  that  these  men  make  against  me,  no  one  can 
give  me  up  to  them;  I  appeal  to  the  emperor.” 

Then  Festus  after  conferring  with  the  council  answered, 

‘‘You  have  appealed  to  the  emperor,  and  to  the  emperor 
you  shall  go!” 

Some  time  after,  King  Agrippa  and  Bernice  came  to 
Caesarea  on  a  state  visit  to  Festus,  and  as  they  stayed 
there  several  days,  Festus  laid  Paul’s  case  before  the 
king. 

“There  is  a  man  here,”  he  said,  “who  was  left  in  prison 
by  Felix,  and  when  I  was  at  Jerusalem  the  Jewish  high 
priests  and  elders  presented  their  case  against  him,  and  asked 
for  his  conviction.  I  told  them  that  it  was  not  the  Roman 
custom  to  give  anybody  up  until  the  accused  met  his  accusers 
face  to  face  and  had  a  chance  to  defend  himself  against  their 
accusations.  So  they  came  back  here  with  me,and  the  next 
day  without  losing  any  time  I  took  my  place  in  the  judge’s 
chair  and  ordered  the  man  brought  in.  But  when  his 
accusers  got  up,  they  did  not  charge  him  with  any  such  crimes 
as  I  had  expected.  Their  differences  with  him  were  about 
their  own  religion  and  about  a  certain  Jesus  who  had  died 
but  who  Paul  said  was  alive.  I  was  at  a  loss  as  to  how  to 
investigate  such  matters, JandH  asked  him  if  he  would  like  "fo 
go  to  Jerusalem  and~Be  tried  on  these  charges  there.  But 
Paul  appealed  to  have  his  case  reserved  for  his  Majesty’s 
decision,  and  I  have  ordered  him  kept  in  custody  until  I  can 
send  him  to  the  emperor.” 

“I  should  like  to  hear  the  man  myself,”  Agrippa  said  to 
Festus. 

“You  shall  hear  him  tomorrow,”  Festus  answered. 

So  the  next  day,  Agrippa  and  Bernice  came  with  great 
pomp  and  went  into  the  audience-room  attended  by  officers 
and  the  leading  citizens  of  the  town,  and  at  the  command  of 
Festus  Paul  was  brought  in.  Then  Festus  said, 


25: 10-24 


282 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


“  King  Agrippa  and  all  who  are  present,  you  see  here  the 
man  about  whom  the  whole  Jewish  people  have  applied  to 
me  both  at  Jerusalem  and  here,  clamoring  that  he  ought  not 
to  live  any  longer.  I  could  not  find  that  he  had  done  anything 
for  which  he  deserved  death,  but  as  he  appealed  to  his  Majesty 
I  decided  to  send  him  to  him.  Yet  I  have  nothing  definite  to 
write  to  our  sovereign  about  him.  So  I  have  brought  him 
before  you  all,  and  especially  before  you,  King  Agrippa,  in 
order  to  get  from  your  examination  of  him  something  to  put 
in  writing.  For  it  seems  to  me  absurd  to  send  a  prisoner  on, 
without  stating  the  charges  against  him.” 

Then  Agrippa  said  to  Paul, 

“You  are  at  liberty  to  speak  in  your  own  defense.” 

So  Paul  stretched  out  his  hand  and  began  his  de¬ 
fense. 

“I  think  myself  fortunate,  King  Agrippa,”  said  he,  “that 
it  is  before  you  that  I  am  to  defend  myself  today  against  all 
the  things  the  Jews  charge  me  with,  especially  because  you 
are  so  familiar  with  all  the  Jewish  customs  and  questions. 
I  beg  you,  therefore,  to  listen  to  me  with  patience.  The 
way  I  lived  from  my  youth  up,  spending  my  early  life  among 
my  own  nation  and  at  Jerusalem,  is  well  known  to  all  Jews, 
for  they  have  known  from  the  first,  if  they  are  willing  to  give 
evidence,  that  I  was  a  Pharisee  and  my  life  was  that  of  the 
strictest  sect  of  our  religion.  Even  now  it  is  for  my  hope  in 
the  promise  that  God  made  to  our  forefathers  that  I  stand 
here  on  trial,  the  promise  in  the  hope  of  seeing  which  fulfilled 
our  twelve  tribes  serve  God  zealously  night  and  day.  It  is 
about  this  hope,  your  Majesty,  that  I  am  accused  by  some 
Jews.  Why  do  you  all  think  it  incredible  that  God  should 
raise  the  dead  ?  I  once  thought  it  my  duty  vigorously  to 
oppose  the  cause  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  That  was  what  I  did 
at  Jerusalem  when  on  the  authority  of  the  high  priests  I  put 
many  of  God’s  people  in  prison.  When  they  were  put  to 
death,  I  cast  my  vote  against  them,  and  many  a  time  in  all 
the  synagogues  I  had  them  punished,  and  tried  to  force  them 
to  say  impious  things.  In  my  extreme  rage  against  them  I 
even  pursued  them  to  distant  towns.  I  was  once  going  to 
Damascus  on  this  business,  authorized  and  commissioned 

25:25-26: 12 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES 


283 


by  the  high  priests,  when  on  the  road  at  noon,  your  Majesty, 
I  saw  a  light  from  heaven  brighter  than  the  sun  flash  around 
me  and  my  fellow-travelers.  We  all  fell  to  the  ground,  and 
I  heard  a  voice  say  to  me  in  Hebrew, ‘Saul!  Saul!  Why  do 
you  persecute  me?  You  cannot  kick  against  the  goad!’ 
‘Who  are  you,  sir?’  said  I.  The  Lord  said,  ‘I  am  Jesus, 
whom  you  are  persecuting.  But  get  up  and  stand  on  your 
feet,  for  I  have  appeared  to  you  for  the  express  purpose  of 
appointing  you  to  serve  me  and  to  testify  to  what  you  have 
seen  and  to  the  visions  you  will  have  of  me.  I  will  save  you 
from  your  people  and  from  the  heathen,  to  whom  I  will  send 
you  to  open  their  eyes  and  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light 
and  from  Satan’s  control  to  God,  so  that  they  may  have  their 
sins  forgiven  and  have  a  place  among  those  who  are  conse¬ 
crated  through  faith  in  me.’  Therefore,  King  Agrippa,  I  did 
not  disobey  that  heavenly  vision,  but  first  to  the  people  of 
Damascus  and  Jerusalem  and  then  all  over  Judea,  and  even 
to  the  heathen  I  preached  that  they  must  repent  and  turn  to 
God  and  live  as  men  who  have  repented  should.  That  is 
why  the  Jews  seized  me  in  the  Temple  and  tried  to  kill  me. 
To  this  day  I  have  had  God’s  help,  and  I  stand  here  to  testify 
to  high  and  low  alike,  without  adding  a  thing  to  what  Moses 
and  the  prophets  declared  would  happen,  if  the  Christ  was  to 
suffer  and  by  being  the  first  to  rise  from  the  dead  was  to 
proclaim  the  light  to  our  people  and  to  the  heathen.” 

As  he  said  this  in  his  defense,  Festus  called  out, 

“You  are  raving,  Paul!  Your  great  learning  is  driving 
you  mad!” 

“I  am  not  raving,  your  Excellency  Festus,”  said  Paul, 
“I  am  telling  the  sober  truth.  The  king  knows  about  this,  and 
I  can  speak  to  him  with  freedom.  I  do  not  believe  that  he 
missed  any  of  this,  for  it  did  not  happen  in  a  corner!  King 
Agrippa,  do  you  believe  the  prophets  ?  I  know  that  you 
do!” 

“You  are  in  a  hurry  to  persuade  me  and  make  a  Christian 
of  me!”  Agrippa  said  to  Paul. 

“In  a  hurry  or  not,”  said  Paul,  “I  would  to  God  that 
not  only  you,  but  all  who  hear  me  today,  might  be  what  I 
am — except  for  these  chains!” 


26: 13-29 


284 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Then  the  king  rose,  with  the  governor  and  Bernice  and 
those  who  had  sat  with  them,  and  after  leaving  the  room, 
in  talking  the  matter  over  together,  they  said, 

“This  man  has  not  done  anything  to  deserve  death  or 
imprisonment.” 

“He  might  have  been  set  at  liberty,”  said  Agrippa  to 
Festus,  “if  he  had  not  appealed  to  the  emperor.” 

When  it  was  decided  that  we  were  to  sail  for  Italy,  Paul 
and  some  other  prisoners  were  turned  over  to  an  officer  of  the 
Imperial  regiment,  named  Julius.  We  went  on  board  an 
Adramyttian  ship  bound  for  the  ports  of  Asia,  and  put  to  sea. 
We  had  a  Macedonian  from  Thessalonica,  named  Aristarchus, 
with  us.  The  next  day  we  put  in  at  Sidon,  and  Julius  kindly 
allowed  Paul  to  go  and  see  his  friends  and  be  taken  care  of. 
Putting  to  sea  from  there,  we  sailed  under  the  lee  of  Cyprus, 
as  the  wind  was  against  us,  and  after  traversing  the  Cilician 
and  Pamphylian  waters,  we  reached  Myra  in  Lycia.  There 
the  officer  found  an  Alexandrian  ship  bound  for  Italy,  and  put 
us  on  board  her.  For  a  number  of  days  we  made  slow  progress 
and  had  some  difficulty  in  arriving  off  Cnidus.  Then  as  the 
wind  kept  us  from  going  on,  we  sailed  under  the  lee  of  Crete, 
off  Cape  Salmone,  and  with  difficulty  coasted  along  it  and 
reached  a  place  called  Fair  Havens,  near  the  town  of  Lasea. 

As  a  great  deal  of  time  had  now  passed,  and  navigation  , 
had  become  dangerous,  for  the  autumn  fast  was  already  over, 
Paul  began  to  warn  them. 

“Gentlemen,”  he  said,  “I  see  that  this  voyage  is  likely  to 
end  in  disaster  and  heavy  loss,  not  only  to  ship  and  cargo 
but  to  our  own  lives  also.” 

But  the  officer  was  more  influenced  by  the  pilot  and  the 
captain  than  by  what  Paul  had  to  say,  and  as  the  harbor  was 
not  fit  to  winter  in,  the  majority  favored  putting  to  sea  again, 
in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  reach  and  winter  in  Phoenix,  a 
harbor  in  Crete  facing  west-south-west  and  west-north-west. 
When  a  moderate  south  wind  sprang  up,  thinking  their  object 
was  within  reach,  they  weighed  anchor,  and  ran  close  along  the 
coast  of  Crete.  But  very  soon  a  violent  wind  which  they  call 
a  Northeaster,  rushed  down  from  it.  The  ship  was  caught  by 
it  and  could  not  face  the  wind,  so  we  gave  way  and  let  her 

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285 


run  before  it.  As  we  passed  under  the  lee  of  a  small  island 
called  Cauda,  we  managed  with  great  difficulty  to  secure  the 
ship’s  boat.  After  hoisting  it  on  board,  they  used  ropes  to 
brace  the  ship,  and  as  they  were  afraid  of  being  cast  on  the 
Syrtis  banks,  they  lowered  the  sail,  and  let  the  ship  drift. 
The  next  day,  as  the  storm  continued  to  be  violent,  they 
began  to  throw  the  cargo  overboard,  and  on  the  next,  they 
threw  the  ship’s  tackle  overboard  with  their  own  hands.  For 
a  number  of  days  neither  the  sun  nor  the  stars  were  visible, 
and  the  storm  continued  to  rage,  until  at  last  we  gave  up  all 
hope  of  being  saved.  Then,  when  they  had  gone  a  long  time 
without  food,  Paul  got  up  among  them,  and  said, 

“  Gentlemen,  you  ought  to  have  listened  to  me  and  not  to 
have  sailed  from  Crete  and  incurred  this  disaster  and  loss. 
Even  now,  I  beg  you  to  keep  up  your  courage,  for  there  will  be 
no  loss  of  life  among  you,  but  only  of  the  ship.  For  last  night 
an  angel  of  the  God  I  belong  to  and  serve  stood  before  me, 
and  said,  ‘Do  not  be  afraid,  Paul!  You  must  stand  before 
the  emperor,  and  see!  God  has  given  you  the  lives  of  all  the 
people  who  are  on  the  ship  with  you.’  So  keep  up  your 
courage,  gentlemen!  For  I  have  faith  in  God  that  it  will  be 
just  as  I  was  told.  But  we  are  to  be  stranded  on  some  island.” 

It  was  the  fourteenth  night  of  the  storm,  and  we  were 
drifting  through  the  Adriatic  when  about  midnight  the 
sailors  began  to  suspect  that  there  was  land  ahead.  On  taking 
soundings,  they  found  a  depth  of  twenty  fathoms,  and  a  little 
later,  taking  soundings  again,  they  found  a  depth  of  fifteen. 
Then  as  they  were  afraid  we  might  go  on  the  rocks,  they 
dropped  four  anchors  from  the  stern  and  waited  anxiously 
for  daylight.  The  sailors  wanted  to  escape  from  the  ship, 
and  actually  lowered  the  boat  into  the  sea,  pretending  that 
they  were  going  to  run  out  anchors  from  the  bow,  but  Paul 
said  to  the  officers  and  the  soldiers, 

“You  cannot  be  saved  unless  these  men  stay  on  board.” 
Then  the  soldiers  cut  the  ropes  that  held  the  boat  and 
let  it  drift  away.  Until  daybreak  Paul  kept  urging  them  all 
to  take  something  to  eat. 

“For  fourteen  days,”  he  said,  “you  have  been  constantly 
on  the  watch,  without  taking  anything  to  eat.  I  beg  you 

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THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


to  eat  something;  it  is  necessary  for  your  safety.  For  not 
one  of  you  will  lose  even  a  hair  of  his  head.” 

With  these  words  he  took  some  bread  and  after  thanking 
God  for  it  before  them  all,  he  broke  it  in  pieces  and  began  to 
eat  it.  This  raised  the  spirits  of  all  of  them,  and  they  took 
something  to  eat.  There  were  about  seventy-six  of  us  on 
board.  When  they  had  had  enough  to  eat,  they  threw  the 
wheat  into  the  sea,  in  order  to  lighten  the  ship.  When 
daylight  came  they  could  not  recognize  the  coast,  but  they 
saw  a  bay  with  a  beach  and  determined  to  run  the  ship 
ashore  there  if  possible.  So  they  cast  off  the  anchors  and  left 
them  in  the  sea,  at  the  same  time  they  undid  the  lashings  of 
the  steering  oars,  and  hoisting  the  foresail  to  the  wind,  they 
made  for  the  beach.  But  they  struck  a  shoal  and  ran  the  ship 
aground.  The  bow  struck  and  could  not  be  moved,  while 
the  stern  began  to  break  up  under  the  strain.  The  soldiers 
proposed  to  kill  the  prisoners,  for  fear  some  of  them  might 
swim  ashore  and  escape,  but  the  officer  wanted  to  save  Paul, 
and  so  he  prevented  them  from  doing  this,  and  ordered  all  who 
could  swim  to  jump  overboard  first  and  get  to  land,  and  the 
rest  to  follow  on  planks  or  other  pieces  of  wreckage.  So  they 
all  got  safely  to  land. 

After  our  escape  we  learned  that  the  island  was  called 
Malta.  The  natives  showed  us  remarkable  kindness,  for 
they  made  a  fire  and  welcomed  us,  because  of  the  rain  that 
had  come  on  and  the  cold.  Paul  gathered  a  bundle  of  sticks 
and  put  them  on  the  fire,  when  a  viper  crawled  out  of  them 
because  of  the  heat  and  fastened  on  his  hand.  When  the 
natives  saw  the  creature  hanging  from  his  hand,  they  said 
to  one  another, 

“This  man  is  undoubtedly  a  murderer,  for  though  he  has 
been  saved  from  the  sea,  justice  will  not  let  him  live.” 

But  he  only  shook  the  creature  off  into  the  fire  and  was 
unharmed.  They  expected  to  see  him  swell  up  or  suddenly  fall 
dead,  but  after  waiting  a  long  time  and  seeing  nothing 
unusual  happen  to  him,  they  changed  their  minds  and  said 
that  he  was  a  god. 

The  governor  of  the  island,  whose  name  was  Publius,  had 
estates  in  that  part  of  the  island,  and  he  welcomed  us  and  en- 

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287 


tertained  us  hospitably  for  three  days.  Publius’  father  hap¬ 
pened  to  be  sick  in  bed  with  fever  and  dysentery,  and  Paul 
went  to  see  him  and  after  praying  laid  his  hands  on  him  and 
cured  him.  After  that,  the  other  sick  people  on  the  island 
came  and  were  cured.  They  made  us  many  presents,  and 
when  we  sailed,  they  provided  us  with  everything  that  we 
needed. 

Three  months  later,  we  sailed  on  an  Alexandrian  ship 
named  the  Dioscuri,  which  had  wintered  at  the  island. 
We  put  in  at  Syracuse  and  stayed  there  three  days,  then  we 
weighed  anchor  and  reached  Rhegium.  A  day  later,  a  south 
wind  sprang  up  and  the  following  day  we  arrived  at  Puteoli. 
There  we  found  some  of  the  brothers,  and  they  urged  us  to 
spend  a  week  with  them.  Then  we  went  on  to  Rome.  The 
brothers  there  had  had  news  of  our  coming,  and  came  as  far  as 
Appius’  Forum  and  Three  Taverns  to  meet  us,  and  when 
Paul  saw  them  he  thanked  God  and  was  greatly  encouraged. 

When  we  reached  Rome,  Paul  was  given  permission  to 
live  by  himself,  with  a  soldier  to  guard  him. 

Three  days  later,  he  invited  the  leading  Jews  to  come 
to  see  him,  and  when  they  came  he  said  to  them, 

“  Brothers,  I  have  done  nothing  against  our  people,  or  the 
customs  of  our  forefathers,  yet  I  was  turned  over  to  the 
Romans  as  a  prisoner  at  Jerusalem.  They  examined  me  and 
were  ready  to  let  me  go,  as  I  was  innocent  of  any  crime  that 
deserved  death.  But  the  Jews  objected,  and  I  was  obliged  to 
appeal  to  the  emperor — not  that  I  had  any  charge  to  make 
against  my  own  nation.  That  is  why  I  asked  to  see  you  and 
speak  with  you,  for  it  is  on  account  of  Israel’s  hope  that  I  have 
to  wear  this  chain.’* 

“We  have  had  no  letters  about  you  from  Judea,”  they 
answered,  “  and  none  of  the  brothers  who  have  come  here  has 
reported  or  said  anything  against  you.  But  we  want  to  hear 
you  state  your  views,  for  as  far  as  this  sect  is  concerned,  we 
understand  that  everywhere  it  is  denounced.” 

So  they  fixed  a  day,  and  came  in  even  larger  numbers 
to  the  place  where  he  was  staying,  and  from  morning  till 
night  he  explained  to  them  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  gave  his 
testimony,  trying  to  convince  them  about  Jesus  from  the  Law 

28:8-23 


288 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


of  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  Some  of  them  were  convinced 
by  what  he  said,  but  others  would  not  believe.  As  they  could 
not  agree  among  themselves,  they  started  to  leave,  when 
Paul  added  one  last  word. 

“The  holy  Spirit  put  it  finely,”  he  said,  “when  it  said  to 
your  forefathers  through  the  prophet  Isaiah, 

“‘Go  to  this  Nation  and  say  to  them, 

“You  will  listen,  and  listen,  and  never  understand, 

And  you  will  look,  and  look,  and  never  see! 

For  this  nation’s  mind  has  grown  dull, 

And  they  hear  faintly  with  their  ears, 

And  they  have  shut  their  eyes, 

So  as  never  to  see  with  their  eyes, 

And  hear  with  their  ears, 

And  understand  with  their  minds,  and  turn  back, 

And  let  me  cure  them !”  ’ 

“Understand  then  that  this  message  of  God’s  salvation 
has  been  sent  to  the  heathen.  They  will  listen  to  it!” 

So  he  stayed  for  two  full  years  in  rented  lodgings  of  his 
own,  and  welcomed  everybody  who  came  to  see  him,  preaching 
the  Kingdom  of  God  to  them  and  teaching  about  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  openly  and  unhindered. 


28:24-31 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


Paul,  a  slave  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  as  an  apostle,  set 
apart  to  declare  God’s  good  news,  which  he  promised  long  ago 
through  his  prophets  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  about  his  Son, 
who  was  physically  descended  from  David,  and  decisively 
declared  Son  of  God  in  his  holiness  of  spirit,  by  being  raised 
from  the  dead — Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  through  whom  we  have 
received  God’s  favor  and  been  commissioned  in  his  name  to 
urge  obedience  and  faith  upon  all  the  heathen,  including  you 
who  have  been  called  to  belong  to  Jesus  Christ — to  all  those 
in  Rome  whom  God  loves,  who  are  called  to  be  his  people; 
God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and  give 
you  peace. 

First  I  thank  my  God  through  Jesus  Christ  about  you  all, 
because  the  news  of  your  faith  is  spreading  all  over  the  world. 
As  God  is  my  witness,  whom  I  serve  in  my  spirit  in  spreading 
the  good  news  of  his  Son,  I  never  fail  to  mention  you  when 
I  pray,  and  to  ask  that  somehow  by  God’s  will  I  may  some  day 
at  last  succeed  in  reaching  you.  For  I  long  to  see  you,  to 
convey  to  you  some  spiritual  gift  that  will  strengthen  you; 
in  other  words,  that  you  and  I  may  be  mutually  encouraged 
by  one  another’s  faith.  I  want  you  to  understand,  brothers, 
that  I  have  often  intended  to  come  to  see  you  (though  thus 
far  I  have  been  prevented)  in  order  to  produce  some  results 
among  you,  as  well  as  among  the  rest  of  the  heathen.  I  owe 
a  debt  both  to  Greeks  and  to  foreigners,  to  the  cultivated  and 
the  uncultivated.  So,  for  my  part,  I  am  eager  to  preach  the 
good  news  to  you  at  Rome  also.  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of 
the  good  news,  for  it  is  God’s  power  for  the  salvation  of 
everyone  who  has  faith,  of  the  Jew  first  and  then  of  the  Greek. 
In  it  God’s  way  of  uprightness  is  disclosed  through  faith  and 
for  faith,  just  as  the  Scripture  says,  “The  upright  will  have 
life  because  of  his  faith.” 

For  God’s  anger  is  breaking  forth  from  heaven  against 
all  the  impiety  and  wickedness  of  the  men  who  in  their 


289 


1: 1— 1 8 


29° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


wickedness  are  suppressing  the  truth.  For  all  that  can  be 
known  of  God  is  clearly  before  them;  God  has  shown  it  to 
them.  Ever  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  his  invisible 
nature — his  eternal  power  and  divine  character— have  been 
clearly  perceptible  through  what  he  has  made.  So  they 
have  no  excuse,  for,  though  they  knew  God,  they  have  not 
honored  him  as  God  or  given  thanks  to  him,  but  they  have 
indulged  in  futile  speculations,  until  their  stupid  minds  have 
become  dark.  They  called  themselves  wise,  but  they  have 
turned  into  fools,  and  for  the  splendor  of  the  immortal  God 
they  have  substituted  images  in  the  form  of  mortal  man, 
birds,  animals,  and  reptiles. 

So  God  abandoned  them,  with  their  heart’s  cravings,  to 
impurity,  and  let  them  degrade  their  own  bodies.  For  they 
had  exchanged  the  truth  of  God  for  what  was  false,  and 
worshiped  and  served  what  he  had  created,  instead  of  the 
Creator,  who  is  blessed  forever!  Amen.  That  is  why  God 
has  abandoned  them  to  degrading  passions.  Their  women 
have  exchanged  their  natural  function  for  one  that  is 
unnatural,  and  men  too  in  the  same  way  have  disregarded 
the  natural  function  of  women  and  been  consumed  with 
passion  for  one  another,  men  for  men,  acting  indecently,  and 
experiencing  in  their  own  persons  the  inevitable  penalty  of 
what  they  have  done.  And  just  as  they  refused  to  recognize 
God  any  longer,  God  has  abandoned  them  to  unworthy 
impulses  and  indecent  conduct.  They  revel  in  every  kind  of 
wrongdoing,  wickedness,  greed,  and  depravity.  They  are  full 
of  envy,  murder,  quarreling,  deceit,  and  ill-nature.  They  are 
gossips,  slanderers,  abhorrent  to  God,  insolent,  overbearing, 
boastful,  ingenious  in  evil,  undutiful,  conscienceless,  treacher¬ 
ous,  unloving,  and  unpitying.  They  know  God’s  decree  that 
those  who  act  in  this  way  deserve  to  die,  yet  they  not  only 
do  it,  but  applaud  any  who  do. 

Therefore  you  have  no  excuse,  whoever  you  are,  if  you 
pose  as  a  judge,  for  when  you  pass  judgment  on  someone  else, 
you  are  condemning  yourself,  for  you,  who  sit  in  judgment, 
do  the  very  same  things  yourself.  We  know  that  God’s  judg¬ 
ment  rightfully  falls  upon  those  who  do  such  things  as  these. 
And  do  you  suppose,  when  you  sit  in  judgment  upon  those 

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291 


who  do  such  things  and  yet  do  them  yourself,  that  you  will 
escape  the  judgment  of  God  ?  Do  you  think  so  lightly  of  his 
wealth  of  kindness,  forbearance,  and  patience,  and  fail  to  see 
that  God’s  kindness  ought  to  induce  you  to  repent  ?  But  in 
your  obstinacy  and  impenitence  you  are  storing  up  wrath 
for  yourself  on  the  Day  of  Wrath,  when  the  justice  of  God 
will  burst  forth.  For  he  will  pay  every  man  for  what  he  has 
done.  Those  who  by  persistently  doing  right  strive  for  glory, 
honor,  and  immortality  will  have  eternal  life,  but  self- 
seeking  people  who  are  disloyal  to  the  truth  and  responsive 
only  to  what  is  wrong  will  experience  anger  and  fury,  crushing 
distress  and  anguish,  every  human  soul  of  them  that  actually 
does  what  is  wrong — the  Jew  first,  and  the  Greek  also;  but 
there  will  be  glory,  honor,  and  peace  for  everyone  who  does 
right,  the  Jew  first,  and  the  Greek  also,  for  God  shows  no 
partiality. 

All  who  sin  without  having  the  Law  will  perish  without 
regard  to  the  Law,  and  all  who  sin  under  the  Law  will  be 
judged  by  the  Law.  For  merely  hearing  the  Law  read  does 
not  make  a  man  upright  in  the  sight  of  God;  men  must  obey 
the  Law  to  be  made  upright.  When  heathen  who  have  no 
Law  instinctively  obey  what  the  Law  demands,  even  though 
they  have  no  law  they  are  a  law  to  themselves,  for  they  show 
that  what  the  Law  demands  is  written  on  their  hearts,  and 
their  consciences  will  testify  for  them,  and  with  their  thoughts 
they  will  either  accuse  or  perhaps  defend  themselves,  on  that 
Day  when,  as  the  good  news  I  preach  teaches,  God  through 
Christ  Jesus  judges  what  men  have  kept  secret. 

Suppose  you  call  yourself  a  Jew,  and  rely  on  law,  and 
boast  about  God,  and  can  understand  his  will,  and  from  hear¬ 
ing  the  Law  read  can  tell  what  is  right,  and  you  are  sure  that 
you  can  guide  the  blind,  enlighten  people  who  are  in  the  dark, 
train  the  foolish,  teach  the  young,  since  you  have  knowledge 
and  truth  formulated  in  the  Law — why,  then,  will  you  teach 
others  and  refuse  to  teach  yourself  ?  Will  you  preach 
against  stealing,  and  yet  steal  yourself?  Will  you  warn 
men  against  adultery,  and  yet  practice  it  yourself?  Will 
you  pretend  to  detest  idols,  and  yet  rob  their  temples  ? 
Will  you  boast  of  the  Law  and  yet  dishonor  God  by  breaking 

2:4-23 


292 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


it  ?  For,  as  the  Scripture  says,  the  very  name  of  God  is 
abused  among  the  heathen,  because  of  you!  Circumcision 
will  help  you  only  if  you  observe  the  Law;  but  if  you  are  a 
law-breaker,  you  might  as  well  be  uncircumcised.  So  if 
people  who  are  uncircumcised  observe  the  requirements  of  the 
Law,  will  they  not  be  treated  as  though  they  were  circum¬ 
cised  ?  And  if,  although  they  are  physically  uncircumcised, 
they  obey  the  Law,  they  will  condemn  you,  who  break  the 
Law,  although  you  have  it  in  writing,  and  are  circumcised. 
For  the  real  Jew  is  not  the  man  who  is  one  outwardly,  and 
the  real  circumcision  is  not  something  physical  and  external. 
The  real  Jew  is  the  man  who  is  one  inwardly,  and  real  circum¬ 
cision  is  a  matter  of  the  heart,  a  spiritual,  not  a  literal,  thing. 
Such  a  man  receives  his  praise  not  from  men,  but  from  God. 

What  advantage  is  there  then  in  being  a  Jew,  and  what  is 
the  use  of  circumcision  ?  A  great  deal,  from  every  point  of 
view.  In  the  first  place,  the  Jews  were  intrusted  with  the 
utterances  of  God.  What  if  some  of  them  have  shown  a  lack 
of  faith  ?  Can  their  lack  of  it  nullify  the  faithfulness  of  God  ? 
By  no  means!  God  must  prove  true,  though  every  man  be 
false;  as  the  Scripture  says, 

“That  you  may  be  shown  to  be  upright  in  what  you  say, 
And  win  your  case  when  you  go  into  court.” 

But  if  our  wrongdoing  brings  out  the  uprightness  of  God, 
what  are  we  to  say  ?  Is  it  wrong  in  God  (I  am  putting  it  in 
ordinary  human  terms)  to  inflict  punishment  ?  By  no  means, 
for  then  how  could  he  judge  the  world  ?  But,  you  say,  if  a 
falsehood  of  mine  has  brought  great  honor  to  God  by  bringing 
out  his  truthfulness,  why  am  I  tried  for  being  a  sinner  ?  And 
why  not  say,  as  people  abuse  us  for  saying  and  charge  us  with 
saying,  “  Let  us  do  evil  that  good  may  come  out  of  it”  ?  Such 
people  will  be  condemned  as  they  deserve! 

What  does  this  mean  ?  Are  we  Jews  at  a  disadvantage  ? 
Not  at  all.  We  have  already  charged  Jews  and  Greeks  all 
alike  with  being  under  the  control  of  sin.  As  the  Scripture  says, 
“There  is  not  a  single  man  who  is  upright, 

No  one  understands,  no  one  searches  for  God. 

All  have  turned  away,  they  are  one  and  all  worthless, 

No  one  does  right,  not  a  single  one! 

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293 


Their  throats  are  like  open  graves, 

They  use  their  tongues  to  deceive; 

The  venom  of  asps  is  behind  their  lips, 

And  their  mouths  are  full  of  bitter  curses. 

Their  feet  are  swift  when  it  comes  to  shedding  blood, 
Ruin  and  wretchedness  mark  their  paths, 

They  do  not  know  the  way  of  peace. 

There  is  no  reverence  for  God  before  their  eyes!” 

Now  we  know  that  everything  the  Law  says  is  addressed  to 
those  under  its  authority,  so  that  every  mouth  may  be  shut, 
and  the  whole  world  be  made  accountable  to  God.  For  no 
human  being  can  be  made  upright  in  the  sight  of  God  by 
observing  the  Law.  All  that  the  Law  can  do  is  to  make  men 
conscious  of  sin.  But  now  God’s  way  of  uprightness  has  been 
disclosed  without  any  reference  to  law,  though  the  Law  and 
the  Prophets  bear  witness  to  it.  It  is  God’s  way  of  upright¬ 
ness  and  comes  through  having  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  it  is 
for  all  who  have  faith,  without  distinction.  For  all  men  sin 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  but  by  his  mercy  they  are 
made  upright  for  nothing,  by  the  deliverance  secured  through 
Christ  Jesus.  For  God  showed  him  publicly  dying  as  a 
sacrifice  of  reconciliation  to  be  taken  advantage  of  through 
faith.  This  was  to  vindicate  his  own  justice  (for  in  his 
forbearance,  God  passed  over  men’s  former  sins) — to  vindicate 
his  justice  at  the  present  time,  and  show  that  he  is  upright 
himself,  and  that  he  makes  those  who  have  faith  in  Jesus 
upright  also. 

Then  what  becomes  of  our  boasting  ?  It  is  shut  out. 
On  what  principle  ?  What  a  man  does  ?  No,  but  whether  a 
man  has  faith.  For  we  hold  that  a  man  is  made  upright  by 
faith;  the  observance  of  the  Law  has  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
Does  God  belong  to  the  Jews  alone  ?  Does  he  not  belong  to 
the  heathen  too  ?  Of  course  he  belongs  to  the  heathen  too; 
there  is  but  one  God.  and  he  will  make  the  circumcised 
upright  on  the  ground  of  their  faith  and  the  uncircumcised 
upright  because  of  theirs.  Is  this  using  faith  to  overthrow 
law  ?  Far  from  it.  This  confirms  the  Law. 

Then  what  are  we  to  say  about  our  ancestor  Abraham  ? 
For  if  he  was  made  upright  by  what  he  did,  it  is  something  to 

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THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


be  proud  of.  But  not  to  be  proud  of  before  God,  for  what  does 
the  Scripture  say  ?  “Abraham  had  faith  in  God,  and  it  was 
credited  to  him  as  uprightness.”  Now  paying  a  workman 
is  not  considered  a  favor,  but  an  obligation,  but  a  man  who 
has  no  work  to  offer,  but  has  faith  in  him  who  can  make 
the  ungodly  upright,  has  his  faith  credited  to  him  as  upright¬ 
ness.  So  David  himself  says  of  the  happiness  of  those  to 
whom  God  credits  uprightness  without  any  reference  to 
their  actions, 

“Happy  are  they  whose  violations  of  the  Law  have  been 
forgiven,  whose  sins  are  covered  up! 

Happy  is  the  man  whose  sin  the  Lord  will  take  no  account 
of!” 

Does  this  happiness  apply  to  those  who  are  circumcised,  or  to 
those  who  are  uncircumcised  as  well  ?  What  we  say  is, 
Abraham’s  faith  was  credited  to  him  as  uprightness. 
In  what  circumstances  ?  Was  it  after  he  was  circumcised, 
or  before  ?  Not  after  he  was  circumcised,  but  before;  and 
he  was  afterward  given  the  mark  of  circumcision  as  the 
stamp  of  God’s  acknowledgment  of  the  uprightness  based  on 
faith  that  was  his  before  he  was  circumcised,  so  that  he  should 
be  the  forefather  of  all  who,  without  being  circumcised,  have 
faith  and  so  are  credited  with  uprightness,  and  the  forefather 
of  those  circumcised  persons  who  not  only  share  his  circum¬ 
cision  but  follow  our  forefather  Abraham’s  example  in  the 
faith  he  had  before  he  was  circumcised. 

For  the  promise  made  to  Abraham  and  his  descendants 
that  the  world  should  belong  to  him  did  not  come  to  him  or 
his  descendants  through  the  Law,  but  through  the  uprightness 
that  resulted  from  his  faith.  For  if  it  is  the  adherents  of  the 
Law  who  are  to  possess  it,  faith  is  nullified  and  the  promise 
amounts  to  nothing!  For  the  Law  only  brings  down  God’s 
wrath;  where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no  violation  of  it. 
That  is  why  it  all  turns  upon  faith;  it  is  to  make  it  a  matter 
of  God’s  favor,  so  that  the  promise  may  hold  good  for  all 
Abraham’s  descendants,  not  only  those  who  are  adherents 
of  the  Law  but  also  those  who  share  the  faith  of  Abraham. 
For  he  is  the  father  of  all  of  us;  as  the  Scripture  says,  “  I  have 
made  you  the  father  of  many  nations.”  The  promise  is 

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295 

guaranteed  in  the  very  sight  of  God  in  whom  he  had  faith, 
who  can  bring  the  dead  to  life  and  call  into  being  what 
does  not  exist.  Abraham,  hoping  against  hope,  had  faith, 
and  so  became  the  father  of  many  nations,  in  fulfilment  of  the 
Scripture,  “So  countless  shall  your  descendants  be.”  His 
faith  did  not  weaken,  although  he  realized  that  his  own  body 
was  worn  out,  for  he  was  about  a  hundred  years  old,  and  that 
Sarah  was  past  bearing  children.  He  did  not  incredulously 
question  God’s  promise,  but  his  faith  gave  him  power  and  he 
praised  God  in  the  full  assurance  that  God  was  able  to  do 
what  he  had  promised.  That  was  why  it  was  credited  to 
him  as  uprightness. 

It  was  not  on  his  account  alone  that  these  words,  “it  was 
credited  to  him,”  were  written,  but  also  on  ours,  for  it  is  to 
be  credited  also  to  us  who  have  faith  in  him  who  raised  from 
the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  who  was  given  up  to  death  to  make 
up  for  our  offenses,  and  raised  to  life  to  make  us  upright. 

So  as  we  have  been  made  upright  by  faith,  let  us  live  in 
peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we 
have  been  introduced  through  faith  to  the  favor  of  God  that 
we  now  enjoy,  and  let  us  glory  in  our  hope  of  sharing  the 
glory  of  God.  More  than  that,  we  ought  to  glory  in  our 
troubles,  for  we  know  that  trouble  produces  endurance,  and 
endurance,  character,  and  character,  hope,  and  hope  will  not 
disappoint  us.  For,  through  the  holy  Spirit  that  has  been 
given  us,  God’s  love  has  flooded  our  hearts.  For  when  we 
were  still  helpless,  at  the  decisive  moment  Christ  died  for  us 
godless  men.  Why,  a  man  will  hardly  give  his  life  for  an 
upright  person,  though  perhaps  for  a  really  good  man  some 
may  be  brave  enough  to  die.  But  God  proves  his  love  for  us 
by  the  fact  that  Christ  died  for  us  when  we  were  still  sinners. 
So  if  we  have  already  been  made  upright  by  his  death,  it  is 
far  more  certain  that  through  him  we  shall  be  saved  from 
God’s  anger!  If,  when  we  were  God’s  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  him  through  the  death  of  his  Son,  it  is  far  more 
certain  that  now  that  we  are  reconciled  we  shall  be  saved 
through  sharing  in  his  life!  More  than  that,  we  actually 
glory  in  Gdd  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  we  owe 
our  reconciliation. 


4 : 1 8-5 : 1 i 


296 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


It  is  just  like  the  way  in  which  through  one  man  sin  came 
into  the  world,  and  death  followed  sin,  and  so  death  spread 
to  all  men,  because  all  men  sinned.  It  is  true  sin  was  in  the 
world  before  the  Law  was  given,  and  men  are  not  charged  with 
sin  where  there  is  no  law.  Still  death  reigned  from  Adam  to 
Moses,  even  over  those  who  had  not  sinned  as  Adam  had, 
in  the  face  of  an  express  command.  So  Adam  foreshadowed 
the  one  who  was  to  come.  But  there  is  no  comparison 
between  God’s  gift  and  that  offense.  For  if  one  man’s  offense 
made  the  mass  of  mankind  die,  God’s  mercy  and  his  gift  given 
through  the  favor  of  the  one  man  Jesus  Christ  have  far  more 
powerfully  affected  mankind.  Nor  is  there  any  comparison 
between  the  gift  and  the  effects  of  that  one  man’s  sin.  That 
sentence  arose  from  the  act  of  one  man,  and  was  for  condem¬ 
nation;  but  God’s  gift  arose  out  of  many  offenses  and  results 
in  acquittal.  For  if  that  one  man’s  offense  made  death  reign 
through  that  one  man,  all  the  more  will  those  who  receive 
God’s  overflowing  mercy  and  his  gift  of  uprightness  live  and 
reign  through  the  one  individual  Jesus  Christ. 

So  as  one  offense  meant  condemnation  for  all  men,  just 
so  one  righteous  act  means  acquittal  and  life  for  all  men.  For 
just  as  that  one  man’s  disobedience  made  the  mass  of  mankind 
sinners,  so  this  one’s  obedience  will  make  the  mass  of  them 
upright.  Then  law  slipped  in,  and  multiplied  the  offense. 
But  greatly  as  sin  multiplied,  God’s  mercy  has  far  surpassed 
it,  so  that  just  as  sin  had  reigned  through  death,  mercy  might 
reign  through  uprightness  and  bring  eternal  life  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Then  what  shall  we  conclude  ?  Are  we  to  continue  to  sin 
to  increase  the  spread  of  mercy  ?  Certainly  not!  When  we 
have  died  to  sin,  how  can  we  live  in  it  any  longer  ?  Do  you 
not  know  that  all  of  us  who  have  been  baptized  into  union 
with  Christ  Jesus  have  been  baptized  into  his  death  ?  Through 
baptism  we  have  been  buried  with  him  in  death,  so  that  just 
as  he  was  raised  from  the  dead  through  the  Father’s  glory, 
we  too  may  live  a  new  life.  For  if  we  have  grown  into  union 
with  him  by  undergoing  a  death  like  his,  of  course  we  shall 
do  so  by  being  raised  to  life  like  him,  for  we  know  that  our 
old  self  was  crucified  with  him,  to  do  away  with  our  sinful 

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297 


body,  so  that  we  might  not  be  enslaved  to  sin  any  longer; 
for  when  a  man  is  dead  he  is  free  from  the  claims  of  sin. 
If  we  have  died  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live 
with  him,  for  we  know  that  Christ,  once  raised  from  the  dead, 
will  never  die  again;  death  has  no  more  hold  on  him.  For 
when  he  died,  he  became  once  for  all  dead  to  sin;  the  life  he 
now  lives  is  a  life  in  relation  to  God.  So  you  also  must  think 
of  yourselves  as  dead  to  sin  but  alive  to  God,  through  union 
with  Christ  Jesus. 

So  sin  must  not  reign  over  your  mortal  bodies,  and  make 
you  obey  their  cravings,  and  you  must  not  offer  the  parts  of 
your  bodies  to  sin  as  the  instruments  of  wrong,  but  offer  your¬ 
selves  to  God  as  men  brought  back  from  death  to  life,  and 
offer  the  parts  of  your  bodies  to  him  as  instruments  of  upright¬ 
ness.  For  sin  must  no  longer  control  you,  for  you  live  not 
under  law  but  under  mercy. 

What  follows,  then  ?  Are  we  to  sin,  because  we  live  not 
under  law  but  under  mercy?  Certainly  not!  Do  you  not 
know  that  when  you  submit  to  being  someone’s  slaves,  and 
obeying  him,  you  are  the  slaves  of  the  one  whom  you  obey, 
whether  your  slavery  is  to  sin,  and  leads  to  death,  or  is  to 
obedience,  and  leads  to  uprightness?  But,  thank  God! 
though  you  were  once  slaves  of  sin,  you  have  become  obedient 
from  your  hearts  to  the  standard  of  teaching  that  you  received, 
and  so  you  have  been  freed  from  sin,  and  made  slaves  of 
uprightness.  I  use  these  familiar  human  terms  because  of  the 
limitations  of  your  nature.  For  just  as  you  before  gave  up  the 
parts  of  your  bodies  in  slavery  to  vice  and  greater  and  greater 
license,  you  must  now  give  them  up  in  slavery  to  uprightness, 
which  leads  to  consecration.  For  when  you  were  slaves  of  sin, 
you  were  free  as  far  as  uprightness  was  concerned.  What 
good  did  you  get  from  doing  the  things  you  are  now  ashamed 
of?  Why,  they  result  in  death!  But  now  that  you  have  been 
freed  from  sin  and  have  become  slaves  of  God,  the  benefit  you 
get  is  consecration,  and  the  final  result  is  eternal  life.  For 
the  wages  sin  pays  is  death,  but  the  gift  God  gives  is  eternal 
life  through  union  with  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

Do  you  not  know,  brothers — for  I  am  speaking  to  men 
who  know  what  law  is — that  law  governs  a  man  only  as  long 

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298 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


as  he  lives  ?  For  a  married  woman  is  bound  by  law  to  her 
husband  while  he  lives,  but  if  he  dies,  the  marriage  law  no 
longer  applies  to  her.  So  if  she  marries  another  man  while 
her  husband  is  alive,  she  is  called  an  adulteress,  but  if  her 
husband  dies,  she  is  free  from  that  law,  and  can  marry  someone 
else  without  being  an  adulteress.  So  you,  in  turn,  my 
brothers,  in  the  body  of  Christ  have  become  dead  as  far  as  the 
Law  is  concerned,  so  that  you  may  belong  to  another  husband, 
who  was  raised  from  the  dead  in  order  that  we  might  bear  fruit 
for  God.  For  when  we  were  living  mere  physical  lives  the 
sinful  passions,  awakened  by  the  Law,  operated  through  the 
organs  of  our  bodies  to  make  us  bear  fruit  for  death.  But  now 
the  Law  no  longer  applies  to  us;  we  have  died  to  what  once 
controlled  us,  so  that  we  can  now  serve  in  the  new  Spirit, 
not  under  the  old  letter. 

Then  what  shall  we  conclude  ?  That  the  Law  is  sin  ? 
Certainly  not!  Yet,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Law,  I  should 
never  have  learned  what  sin  was;  I  should  not  have  known 
what  it  was  to  covet  if  the  Law  had  not  said,  “You  must  not 
covet. ”  That  command  gave  sin  an  opening,  and  it  led  me 
to  all  sorts  of  covetous  ways,  for  sin  is  lifeless  without  law. 
I  was  once  alive  and  without  law,  but  when  the  command 
came,  sin  awoke  and  then  I  died;  and  the  command  that 
should  have  meant  life  in  my  case  proved  to  mean  death. 
The  command  gave  sin  an  opening  and  sin  deceived  me  and 
killed  me  with  it.  So  the  Law  itself  is  holy,  and  each  com¬ 
mand  is  holy,  just,  and  good. 

Did  what  was  good,  then,  prove  the  death  of  me  ? 
Certainly  not!  It  was  sin  that  did  so,  so  that  it  might  be 
recognized  as  sin,  because  even  through  something  that  was 
good  it  effected  my  death,  so  that  through  the  command  it 
might  appear  how  immeasurably  sinful  sin  was.  We  know 
that  the  Law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  physical,  sold  into  slavery 
to  sin.  I  do  not  understand  what  I  am  doing,  for  I  do  not  do 
what  I  want  to  do;  I  do  things  that  I  hate.  But  if  I  do  what  I 
do  not  want  to  do,  I  acknowledge  that  the  Law  is  right.  In 
reality,  it  is  not  I  that  do  these  things;  it  is  sin,  which  has 
possession  of  me.  For  I  know  that  nothing  good  resides  in 
me,  that  is,  in  my  physical  self;  I  can  will,  but  I  cannot  do, 

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what  is  right.  I  do  not  do  the  good  things  that  I  want  to  do; 
I  do  the  wrong  things  that  I  do  not  want  to  do.  But  if  I  do 
the  things  that  I  do  not  want  to  do,  it  is  not  I  that  am  acting, 
it  is  sin,  which  has  possession  of  me.  I  find  the  law  to  be  that 
I  who  want  to  do  right  am  dogged  by  what  is  wrong.  My 
inner  nature  agrees  wkh  the  divine  law,  but  all  through  my 
body  I  see  another  principle  in  conflict  with  the  law  of  my 
reason,  which  makes  me  a  prisoner  to  that  law  of  sin  that  runs 
through  my  body.  What  a  wretched  man  I  am!  Who  can 
save  me  from  this  doomed  body?  Thank  God!  it  is  done 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord!  So  mentally  I  am  a  slave 
to  God’s  law,  but  physically  to  the  law  of  sin. 

So  there  is  no  condemnation  any  more  for  those  who  are 
in  union  with  Christ  Jesus.  For  the  life-giving  law  of  the 
Spirit  through  Christ  Jesus  has  freed  you  from  the  Law  of  sin 
and  death.  For  though  it  was  impossible  for  the  Law  to  do  it, 
hampered  as  it  was  by  our  physical  limitations,  God,  by  send¬ 
ing  his  own  Son  in  our  sinful  physical  form,  as  a  sin-offering, 
put  his  condemnation  upon  sin  through  his  physical  nature, 
so  that  the  requirement  of  the  Law  might  be  fully  met  in  our 
case,  since  we  live  not  on  the  physical  but  on  the  spiritual 
plane.  People  who  are  controlled  by  the  physical  think  of 
what  is  physical,  and  people  who  are  controlled  by  the 
spiritual  think  of  what  is  spiritual.  For  to  be  physically 
minded  means  death,  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  means  life 
and  peace.  For  to  be  physically  minded  means  hostility  to 
God,  for  it  refuses  to  obey  God’s  law,  indeed  it  cannot  obey  it. 
Those  who  are  physical  cannot  please  God.  But  you  are  not 
physical  but  spiritual,  if  God’s  Spirit  has  really  taken  posses¬ 
sion  of  you;  for  unless  a  man  has  Christ’s  spirit,  he  does  not 
belong  to  Christ.  But  if  Christ  is  in  your  hearts,  though 
your  bodies  are  dead  in  consequence  of  sin,  your  spirits  have 
life  in  consequence  of  uprightness.  If  the  Spirit  of  him  who 
raised  Jesus  from  the  dead  has  taken  possession  of  you,  he 
who  raised  Christ  Jesus  from  the  dead  will  also  give  your 
mortal  bodies  life  through  his  Spirit  that  has  taken  possession 
of  you. 

So,  brothers,  we  are  under  obligations,  but  not  to  the 
physical  nature,  to  live  under  its  control,  for  if  you  live  under 

7:19-8:13 


3°° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  control  of  the  physical  you  will  die,  but  if,  by  means  of  the 
Spirit,  you  put  the  body’s  doings  to  death,  you  will  live.  For 
all  who  are  guided  by  God’s  Spirit  are  God’s  sons.  It  is  not 
a  consciousness  of  servitude  that  has  been  imparted  to  you, 
to  fill  you  with  fear  again,  but  the  consciousness  of  adoption 
as  sons,  which  makes  us  cry,  “Abba!”  that  is,  Father. 
The  Spirit  itself  testifies  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  God’s 
children,  and  if  children,  heirs  also;  heirs  of  God,  and  fellow- 
heirs  with  Christ,  if  we  really  share  his  sufferings  in  order  to 
share  his  glory  too. 

For  I  consider  what  we  suffer  now  not  to  be  compared 
with  the  glory  that  is  to  burst  upon  us.  For  creation  is 
waiting  with  eager  longing  for  the  sons  of  God  to  be  disclosed. 
For  it  was  not  the  fault  of  creation  that  it  was  frustrated; 
it  was  by  the  will  of  him  who  condemned  it  to  that,  and  in  the 
hope  that  creation  itself  would  be  set  free  from  its  bondage 
to  decay,  and  have  the  glorious  freedom  of  the  children  of 
God.  We  know  that  all  creation  has  been  groaning  in  agony 
together  until  now.  More  than  that,  we  ourselves,  though 
we  have  in  the  Spirit  a  foretaste  of  the  future,  groan  to  our¬ 
selves  as  we  wait  to  be  declared  God’s  sons,  through  the 
redemption  of  our  bodies.  It  was  in  this  hope  that  we  were 
saved.  But  a  hope  that  can  be  seen  is  not  a  hope,  for  who 
hopes  for  what  he  sees  ?  But  when  we  hope  for  something 
that  we  do  not  see,  we  wait  persistently  for  it. 

In  the  same  way  the  Spirit  helps  us  in  our  weakness,  for 
we  do  not  know  how  to  pray  as  we  should,  but  the  Spirit 
itself  pleads  for  us  with  inexpressible  yearnings,  and  he  who 
searches  our  hearts  knows  what  the  Spirit  means,  for  it  pleads 
for  God’s  people  in  accordance  with  his  will.  We  know  that 
in  everything  God  works  with  those  who  love  him,  whom 
he  has  called  in  accordance  with  his  purpose,  to  bring  about 
what  is  good.  For  those  whom  he  had  marked  out  from  the 
first  he  predestined  to  be  made  like  his  Son,  so  that  he  should 
be  the  eldest  of  many  brothers;  and  those  whom  he  has  pre¬ 
destined  he  calls,  and  those  whom  he  calls  he  makes  upright, 
and  those  whom  he  makes  upright  he  glorifies. 

Then  what  shall  we  conclude  from  this  ?  If  God  is  for  us, 
who  can  be  against  us  ?  Will  not  he  who  did  not  spare  his 

8:14-32 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


3QI 


own  Son,  but  gave  him  up  for  us  all,  with  that  gift  give  us 
everything  ?  Who  can  bring  any  accusation  against  those 
whom  God  has  chosen  ?  God  pronounces  them  upright; 
who  can  condemn  them  ?  Christ  Jesus  who  died,  or  rather 
who  was  raised  from  the  dead,  is  at  God’s  right  hand,  and 
actually  pleads  for  us.  Who  can  separate  us  from  Christ’s 
love  ?  Can  trouble  or  misfortune  or  persecution  or  hunger  or 
destitution  or  danger  or  the  sword  ?  As  the  Scripture  says, 

“  For  your  sake  we  are  being  put  to  death  all  day  long. 

We  are  treated  like  sheep  to  be  slaughtered.” 

But  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  victorious  through 
him  who  loved  us.  For  I  am  convinced  that  neither  death  nor 
life  nor  angels  nor  their  hierarchies  nor  the  present  nor  the 
future  nor  any  supernatural  forces  either  of  height  or  depth 
will  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  God  has  shown 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord! 

I  am  telling  the  truth  as  a  Christian,  it  is  no  falsehood, 
for  my  conscience  under  the  holy  Spirit’s  influence  bears  me 
witness  in  it,  when  I  say  that  I  am  greatly  pained  and  my 
heart  is  constantly  distressed,  for  I  could  wish  myself  accursed 
and  cut  off  from  Christ  for  the  sake  of  my  brothers,  my  natural 
kindred.  For  they  are  Israelites,  and  to  them  belong  the 
rights  of  sonship,  God’s  glorious  presence,  the  divine  agree¬ 
ments  and  legislation,  the  Temple  service,  the  promises,  and 
the  patriarchs,  and  from  them  physically  Christ  came — God 
who  is  over  all  be  blessed  forever!  Amen.  Not  that  God’s 
message  has  failed.  For  not  everybody  who  is  descended 
from  Israel  really  belongs  to  Israel,  nor  are  they  all  children 
of  Abraham  because  they  are  descended  from  him,  but  he  was 
told,  “The  line  of  Isaac  will  be  called  your  descendants.” 
That  is  to  say,  it  is  not  his  physical  descendants  who  are 
children  of  God,  but  his  descendants  born  in  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  who  are  considered  his  true  posterity.  For  this  is 
what  the  promise  said:  “When  I  come  back  at  this  time  next 
year,  Sarah  will  have  a  son.”  And  that  is  not  all,  for  there 
was  Rebecca  too,  when  she  was  about  to  bear  twin  sons  to  our 
forefather  Isaac.  For  before  the  children  were  born  or  had 
done  anything  either  good  or  bad,  in  order  to  carry  out  God’s 
purpose  of  selection,  which  depends  not  on  what  men  do  but 


3°  2 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


on  his  calling  them,  she  was  told,  “The  elder  will  be  the 
younger’s  slave.”  As  the  Scripture  says,  “I  loved  Jacob, 
but  I  hated  Esau.” 

What  do  we  conclude  ?  That  God  is  guilty  of  injustice  ? 
By  no  means.  He  said  to  Moses,  “I  will  have  mercy  on  the 
man  on  whom  I  choose  to  have  mercy,  and  take  pity  on 
the  man  on  whom  I  choose  to  take  pity.”  So  it  depends 
not  on  human  will  or  exertion,  but  on  the  mercy  of  God. 
The  Scripture  says  to  Pharaoh,  “I  have  raised  you  to  your 
position  for  the  very  purpose  of  displaying  my  power  in 
dealing  with  you,  and  making  my  name  known  all  over  the 
world.”  So  he  has  mercy  on  anyone  he  pleases,  and  hardens 
the  heart  of  anyone  he  pleases. 

“Why,  then,”  you  will  ask,  “does  he  still  find  fault? 
For  who  can  resist  his  will  ?”  On  the  contrary,  who  are  you, 
my  friend,  to  answer  back  to  God  ?  Can  something  a  man 
shapes  say  to  the  man  who  shaped  it,  “Why  did  you  make 
me  like  this  ?”  Has  not  the  potter  with  his  clay  the  right 
to  make  from  the  same  lump  one  thing  for  exalted  uses  and 
another  for  menial  ones  ?  Then  what  if  God,  though  he 
wanted  to  display  his  anger  and  show  his  power,  has  shown 
great  patience  toward  the  objects  of  his  anger,  already  ripe  for 
destruction,  so  as  to  show  all  the  wealth  of  his  glory  in  dealing 
with  the  objects  of  his  mercy,  whom  he  has  prepared  from  the 
beginning  to  share  his  glory,  including  us  whom  he  has  called 
not  only  from  among  the  Jews  but  from  among  the  heathen  ? 
Just  as  he  says  in  Hosea, 

“I  will  call  a  people  that  was  not  mine,  my  people, 

And  her  who  was  not  beloved,  my  beloved, 

And  in  the  very  place  where  they  were  told,  ‘You  are  no 
people  of  mine,’ 

They  shall  be  called  sons  of  the  living  God.” 

And  Isaiah  cries  out  about  Israel,  “Although  the  sons  of 
Israel  are  as  numerous  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  only  a  remnant 
of  them  will  be  saved,  for  the  Lord  will  execute  his  sentence 
rigorously  and  swiftly  on  the  earth.”  As  Isaiah  foretold, 

“If  the  Lord  of  Hosts  had  not  left  us  children, 

We  would  have  been  like  Sodom,  and  have  resembled 
Gomorrah!” 


9:12-29 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


3°3 


Then  what  do  we  conclude  ?  That  heathen  who  were  not 
striving  for  uprightness  attained  it,  that  is,  an  uprightness 
which  was  produced  by  faith;  while  Israel,  straining  after  a 
law  that  should  bring  uprightness,  did  not  come  up  to  it.  And 
why  ?  Because  they  did  not  seek  it  through  faith,  but 
through  doing  certain  things.  They  stumbled  over  that 
stone  that  makes  people  stumble,  as  the  Scripture  says, 

“See,  I  will  put  a  stone  on  Zion  to  make  people  stumble,  and 
a  rock  to  trip  over, 

But  no  one  who  has  faith  in  it  will  be  disappointed.” 

Brothers,  my  heart  is  full  of  good  will  toward  them; 
my  prayer  to  God  is  that  they  may  be  saved.  I  can  testify 
to  their  sincere  devotion  to  God,  but  it  is  not  an  intelligent 
devotion.  For  in  their  ignorance  of  God’s  way  of  upright¬ 
ness  and  in  the  attempt  to  set  up  one  of  their  own,  they 
refused  to  conform  to  God’s  way  of  uprightness.  For 
Christ  marks  the  termination  of  law,  so  that  now  anyone 
who  has  faith  may  attain  uprightness.  Moses  said  that 
anyone  who  carried  out  the  uprightness  the  Law  prescribed 
would  find  life  through  it.  But  this  is  what  the  uprightness 
that  springs  from  faith  says:  “Do  not  say  to  yourself,  ‘Who 
will  go  up  to  heaven?”’  that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down;  or 
“  ‘Who  will  go  down  into  the  depths  ?’  ”  that  is,  to  bring  Christ 
up  from  the  dead.  No!  This  is  what  it  says:  “God’s 
message  is  close  to  you,  on  your  lips  and  in  your  mind” — that 
is,  the  message  about  faith  that  we  preach.  For  if  with  your 
lips  you  acknowledge  the  message  that  Jesus  is  Lord,  and  with 
your  mind  you  believe  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  you 
will  be  saved.  For  with  their  minds  men  believe  and  are  made 
upright,  and  with  their  lips  they  make  the  acknowledgment 
and  are  saved.  For  the  Scripture  says,  “No  one  who  has 
faith  in  him  will  be  disappointed.”  There  is  no  distinction 
between  Jew  and  Greek,  for  they  all  have  the  same  Lord, 
and  he  is  generous  to  all  who  call  upon  him.  For  everyone 
who  calls  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  will  be  saved.  But 
how  are  they  to  call  upon  him  if  they  have  not  believed  in 
him  ?  And  how  are  they  to  believe  him  if  they  have  never 
heard  him  ?  And  how  are  they  to  hear  unless  someone 
preaches  to  them  ?  And  how  are  men  to  preach  unless  they 

9:30-10:15 


3°  4 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


are  sent  to  do  it  ?  As  the  Scripture  says,  “How  welcome  is 
the  coming  of  those  who  bring  good  news!” 

It  is  true,  they  have  not  all  accepted  the  good  news,  for 
Isaiah  says,  “Lord,  who  has  believed  what  we  have  told  ?” 
So  faith  comes  from  hearing  what  is  told,  and  that  hearing 
comes  through  the  message  about  Christ.  But  I  ask,  had  they 
no  opportunity  to  hear  it  ?  On  the  contrary, 

“Their  voices  have  gone  all  over  the  earth, 

And  their  words  to  the  ends  of  the  world.” 

But  I  ask  again,  did  Israel  fail  to  understand  ?  Why,  to 
begin  with,  Moses  said, 

“I  will  make  you  jealous  of  what  is  no  nation  at  all, 

I  will  exasperate  you  at  a  senseless  nation.” 

Then  Isaiah  broke  out  boldly  and  said, 

“  I  have  been  found  by  men  who  were  not  looking  for  me, 

I  have  shown  myself  to  men  who  were  not  asking  what  my 
will  was.” 

But  of  Israel  he  said, 

“All  day  long  I  have  held  out  my  hands  to  a  disobedient 
and  obstinate  people.” 

I  ask  then,  has  God  repudiated  his  people  ?  By  no  means. 
Why,  I  am  an  Israelite  myself,  I  am  descended  from  Abraham, 
and  I  belong  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  God  has  not  repudi¬ 
ated  his  people,  which  he  had  marked  out  from  the  first. 
Do  you  not  know  what  the  Scripture  says  in  speaking  of 
Elijah,  how  he  appealed  to  God  against  Israel?  “Lord, 
they  have  killed  your  prophets,  they  have  demolished  your 
altars,  I  am  the  only  one  left  and  they  are  trying  to  take  my 
life.”  But  what  is  God’s  reply  ?  “I  have  left  myself  seven 
thousand  men  who  have  never  knelt  to  Baal!”  So  too  at  the 
present  time  there  is  a  remnant  selected  by  God’s  mercy. 
But  if  it  is  by  his  mercy,  it  is  not  for  anything  they  have  done. 
Otherwise,  his  mercy  would  not  be  mercy  at  all.  What 
follows  ?  Israel  failed  to  get  what  it  sought,  but  those  whom 
God  selected  got  it.  The  rest  became  callous;  as  the  Scrip¬ 
ture  says,  “God  has  thrown  them  into  a  state  of  spiritual 
insensibility,  with  eyes  that  cannot  see  and  ears  that  can¬ 
not  hear,  that  has  lasted  down  to  this  day.”  And  David 
said, 

io: 16-11:9 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


305 


“Let  their  feasting  prove  a  snare  and  a  trap  to  them, 
Their  ruin  and  their  retribution. 

Let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  so  that  they  cannot  see; 
Make  their  backs  bend  forever  under  their  burden!” 

I  ask  then,  has  their  stumbling  led  to  their  absolute  ruin  ? 
By  no  means.  Through  their  false  step  salvation  has  gone  to 
the  heathen,  so  as  to  make  the  Israelites  jealous.  But  if  their 
false  step  has  so  enriched  the  world,  and  their  defeat  has  so 
enriched  the  heathen,  how  much  more  good  the  addition  of 
their  full  number  will  do! 

But  it  is  to  you  who  are  of  the  heathen  that  I  am  speaking. 
So  far  then  as  I  am  an  apostle  to  the  heathen,  I  make  the 
most  of  my  ministry,  in  the  hope  of  making  my  countrymen 
jealous,  and  thus  saving  some  of  them.  For  if  their  rejection 
has  meant  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  what  can  the  accept¬ 
ance  of  them  mean  but  life  from  the  dead  ?  If  the  first  hand¬ 
ful  of  dough  is  consecrated,  the  whole  mass  is,  and  if  the 
root  of  a  tree  is  consecrated,  so  are  its  branches. 

If  some  of  the  branches  have  been  broken  off,  and  you 
who  were  only  a  wild  olive  shoot  have  been  grafted  in,  in  place 
of  them,  and  made  to  share  the  richness  of  the  olive’s  root, 
you  must  not  look  down  upon  the  branches.  If  you  do, 
remember  that  you  do  not  support  the  root;  the  root  supports 
you. 

“But,”  you  will  say,  “branches  were  broken  off  so  that 
I  could  be  grafted  in!” 

That  is  true;  but  it  was  for  their  want  of  faith  that 
they  were  broken  off,  and  it  is  through  your  faith  that  you 
stand  where  you  do.  You  ought  not  to  feel  proud;  you 
ought  to  be  afraid,  for  if  God  did  not  spare  the  natural 
branches,  he  will  not  spare  you.  Observe  then  the  goodness 
and  the  severity  of  God — severity  to  those  who  have  fallen, 
but  goodness  to  you,  provided  you  abide  by  his  goodness,  for 
otherwise  you  in  your  turn  will  be  pruned  away.  Those 
others  too,  if  they  do  not  cling  to  their  unbelief,  will  be  grafted 
in,  for  God  has  the  power  to  graft  them  in  again.  For  if 
you  were  cut  from  a  wild  olive  and  unnaturally  grafted  upon 
a  cultivated  one,  how  much  easier  it  will  be  to  graft  them 
upon  the  olive  to  which  they  properly  belong! 


11 : 10—24 


3°6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


For  to  keep  you  from  thinking  too  well  of  yourselves, 
brothers,  I  do  not  want  you  to  miss  this  secret,  that  only 
partial  insensibility  has  come  upon  Israel,  to  last  until  all  the 
heathen  have  come  in,  and  then  all  Israel  will  be  saved,  just 
as  the  Scripture  says, 

“The  deliverer  will  come  from  Zion, 

He  will  drive  all  ungodliness  away  from  Jacob, 

And  this  will  be  my  agreement  with  them, 

When  I  take  away  their  sins.” 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  good  news  they  are  treated  as 
enemies  of  God  on  your  account;  but  from  the  point  of 
view  of  God’s  choice,  they  are  dear  to  him  because  of  their 
forefathers,  for  God  does  not  change  his  mind  about  those 
to  whom  he  gives  his  blessings  or  sends  his  call.  For  just  as 
you  once  disobeyed  God,  but  now  have  had  mercy  shown  you 
because  they  disobeyed,  so  they  are  now  disobedient  in  order 
that  they  in  turn  may  experience  the  same  mercy  as  you. 
For  God  has  made  all  men  prisoners  of  disobedience  so  as  to 
have  mercy  upon  them  all.  How  inexhaustible  God’s 
resources,  wisdom,  and  knowledge  are!  How  unfathomable 
his  decisions  are,  and  how  un traceable  his  ways! 

“Who  has  ever  known  the  Lord’s  thoughts,  or  advised 
him  ? 

“Or  who  has  advanced  anything  to  him,  for  which  he 
will  have  to  be  repaid  ?” 

For  from  him  everything  comes;  through  him  everything 
exists;  and  in  him  everything  ends!  Glory  to  him  forever! 
Amen. 

I  appeal  to  you,  therefore,  brothers,  by  this  mercy  of 
God,  to  offer  your  bodies  in  a  living  sacrifice  that  will  be  holy 
and  acceptable  to  God;  that  is  your  rational  worship.  You 
must  not  adopt  the  customs  of  this  world  but  by  your  new 
attitude  of  mind  be  transformed  so  that  you  can  find  out  what 
God’s  will  is — what  is  good,  pleasing,  and  perfect. 

By  the  favor  that  God  has  shown  me,  I  would  tell  every 
one  of  you  not  to  think  too  highly  of  himself,  but  to  think 
reasonably,  judging  himself  by  the  degree  of  faith  God  has 
allowed  him.  For  just  as  there  are  many  parts  united  in  our 
human  bodies,  and  the  parts  do  not  all  have  the  same 

11:25-12:4 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


3°  7 


i  function,  so,  many  as  we  are,  we  form  one  body  through 
union  with  Christ,  and  we  are  individually  parts  of  one 
another.  We  have  gifts  that  differ  with  the  favor  that  God  has 
shown  us,  whether  it  is  that  of  preaching,  differing  with  the 
measure  of  our  faith,  or  of  practical  service,  differing  in  the 
field  of  service,  or  the  teacher  who  exercises  his  gift  in  teaching, 
the  speakor,  in  his  exhortation,  the  giver  of  charity,  with  gener¬ 
osity,  the  office-holder,  with  devotion,  the  one  who  does  acts  of 
mercy,  with  cheerfulness.  Your  love  must  be  genuine.  You 
must  hate  what  is  wrong,  and  hold  to  what  is  right.  Be 
affectionate  in  your  love  for  the  brotherhood,  eager  to  show 
one  another  honor,  not  wanting  in  devotion,  but  on  fire  with 
the  Spirit.  Serve  the  Lord.  Be  happy  in  your  hope, 
steadfast  in  time  of  trouble,  persistent  in  prayer.  Supply 
the  needs  of  God’s  people,  be  unfailing  in  hospitality. 
Bless  your  persecutors;  bless  them;  do  not  curse  them. 
Rej  oice  with  those  who  rejoice,  weep  with  those  who  weep. 
Live  in  harmony  with  one  another.  Do  not  be  too  ambi¬ 
tious,  but  accept  humble  tasks.  Do  not  be  conceited.  Do 
not  pay  anyone  back  with  evil  for  evil.  See  that  you  are 
above  reproach  in  the  eyes  of  everyone.  If  possible,  for  your 
part,  live  peaceably  with  everybody.  Do  not  take  your 
revenge,  dear  friends,  but  leave  room  for  God’s  anger,  for  the 
Scripture  says,  “Vengeance  belongs  to  me;  I  will  pay  them 
back,  says  the  Lord.”  No!  If  your  enemy  is  hungry,  feed 
him!  If  he  is  thirsty,  give  him  something  to  drink!  For  if 
you  do,  you  will  heap  burning  coals  upon  his  head!  Do  not 
be  conquered  by  evil,  but  conquer  evil  with  good. 

Everyone  must  obey  the  authorities  that  are  over  him, 
for  no  authority  can  exist  without  the  permission  of  God; 
the  existing  authorities  have  been  established  by  him,  so 
that  anyone  who  resists  the  authorities  sets  himself  in  opposi¬ 
tion  to  what  God  has  ordained,  and  those  who  oppose  him  will 
bring  down  judgment  upon  themselves.  The  man  who  does 
right  has  nothing  to  fear  from  the  magistrates,  as  the  wrong¬ 
doer  has.  If  you  want  to  have  no  fear  of  the  authorities,  do 
right,  and  they  will  commend  you  for  it,  for  they  are  God’s 
agents  to  do  you  good.  But  if  you  do  wrong  you  may  well 
be  afraid,  for  they  do  not  carry  swords  for  nothing.  They  are 

12:5-13:4 


3°8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


God’s  servants,  to  execute  his  wrath  upon  wrongdoers.  You 
must  obey  them,  therefore,  not  only  to  escape  God’s  wrath, 
but  as  a  matter  of  principle,  just  as  you  pay  your  taxes;  they 
are  God’s  ministers,  devoting  themselves  to  this  service.  Pay 
them  all  what  is  due  them — tribute  to  the  man  entitled  to 
receive  it,  taxes  to  the  man  entitled  to  receive  them,  respect 
to  the  man  entitled  to  it,  and  honor  to  the  man  entitled  to  it. 
Owe  nobody  anything — except  the  duty  of  mutual  love,  for 
whoever  loves  his  fellow-men  has  fully  satisfied  the  Law.  For 
the  commandments,  ‘‘You  must  not  commit  adultery,  You 
must  not  murder,  You  must  not  steal,  You  must  not 
covet,”  and  any  other  commandments  there  are,  are  all 
summed  up  in  one  saying,  “You  must  love  your  neighbor  as 
you  do  yourself.”  Love  never  wrongs  a  neighbor,  and  so 
love  fully  satisfies  the  Law. 

All  this  especially,  because  you  know  this  critical  time 
and  that  it  is  time  for  you  to  wake  from  your  sleep,  for  our 
salvation  is  nearer  to  us  now  then  when  we  first  believed. 
The  night  is  nearly  over;  the  day  is  at  hand.  So  let  us 
throw  aside  the  deeds  of  darkness,  and  put  on  the  armor  of 
light.  Let  us  live  honorably,  as  in  the  light  of  day,  not  in 
carousing  and  drunkenness,  or  in  immorality  and  indecency, 
or  in  quarreling  and  jealousy.  But  clothe  yourselves  with 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  do  not  think  about  gratifying 
your  physical  cravings. 

Treat  people  who  are  overscrupulous  in  their  faith 
like  brothers;  do  not  criticize  their  views.  One  man’s  faith 
allows  him  to  eat  anything,  while  the  overscrupulous  man 
eats  nothing  but  vegetables.  The  man  who  will  eat  anything 
must  not  look  down  on  the  man  who  abstains  from  some 
things,  and  the  man  who  abstains  from  them  must  not 
criticize  the  one  who  does  not,  for  God  has  accepted  him. 
Who  are  you  to  criticize  someone  else’s  servant  ?  It  is  for  his 
own  master  to  say  whether  he  succeeds  or  fails;  and  he  will 
succeed,  for  the  Master  can  make  him  do  so.  One  man  thinks 
one  day  better  than  another,  while  another  thinks  them  all 
alike.  Everybody  must  be  fully  convinced  in  his  own  mind. 
The  man  who  observes  the  day  does  it  in  the  Lord’s  honor. 
The  man  who  eats  does  it  in  the  Lord’s  honor,  for  he  gives 

13:5-14:6 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


3°9 


God  thanks,  and  the  man  who  abstains  does  it  in  the  Lord’s 
honor,  and  gives  him  thanks.  None  of  us  lives  only  to 
himself,  and  none  of  us  dies  only  to  himself;  if  we  live,  we  are 
responsible  to  the  Lord,  and  if  we  die,  we  are  responsible  to 
him;  so  whether  we  live  or  die,  we  belong  to  the  Lord. 
For  Christ  died  and  returned  to  life  for  the  very  purpose  Ci 
being  Lord  of  both  the  dead  and  the  living.  What  business 
have  you  to  criticize  your  brother  ?  What  business  have 
you  to  look  down  upon  your  brother  ?  We  shall  all  have 
to  stand  before  God  for  judgment.  For  the  Scripture  says, 
“As  surely  as  I  live,  says  the  Lord,  every  knee  will  bend 
before  me, 

And  every  tongue  will  make  its  confession  to  God.” 

So  each  one  of  us  must  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God. 

Therefore  let  us  not  criticize  one  another  any  more. 
You  must  resolve  instead  never  to  put  any  hindrance  or  obsta¬ 
cle  in  your  brother’s  way.  I  know  and  as  a  follower  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  I  am  convinced  that  nothing  is  unclean  in  itself; 
a  thing  is  unclean  only  to  the  man  who  regards  it  as  unclean. 
For  if  your  brother’s  feelings  are  hurt  by  what  you  eat,  your 
life  is  not  governed  by  love.  You  must  not,  by  what  you  eat, 
ruin  a  man  for  whom  Christ  died.  The  thing  you  have  a  right 
to  do  must  not  become  a  cause  of  reproach.  The  Kingdom 
of  God  is  not  a  matter  of  what  we  eat  or  drink,  but  of  upright¬ 
ness,  peace,  and  happiness  through  the  possession  of  the  holy 
Spirit.  Whoever  serves  Christ  in  that  way  pleases  God  and 
gains  the  approval  of  men.  Let  us,  therefore,  keep  before  us 
whatever  will  contribute  to  peace  and  the  development  of  one 
another.  You  must  not,  just  for  the  sake  of  food,  undo  the 
work  of  God.  It  is  true,  everything  is  clean,  but  it  is  wrong 
for  a  man  to  hurt  the  consciences  of  others  by  what  he  eats. 
The  right  thing  to  do  is  to  eat  no  meat  at  all  and  to  drink  no 
wine  or  do  anything  else  if  it  hurts  your  brother’s  conscience. 
For  your  part,  you  must  keep  the  faith  you  have  to  yourself, 
as  between  God  and  you.  He  is  a  happy  man  who  has  no  fault 
to  find  with  himself  in  following  the  course  that  he  approves, 
but  the  man  who  has  misgivings  about  eating,  and  then  eats, 
is  thereby  condemned,  for  he  is  not  following  his  convictions, 
and  anything  that  does  not  rest  on  conviction  is  wrong. 

14:7-23 


3IQ 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


It  is  the  duty  of  us  who  are  strong  to  put  up  with  the 
weaknesses  of  those  who  are  immature,  and  not  just  suit 
ourselves.  Everyone  of  us  must  try  to  please  his  neighbor, 
to  do  him  good,  and  help  in  his  development.  Christ  did 
not  please  himself,  but  as  the  Scripture  says,  “The  reproaches 
of  those  who  reproach  you  have  fallen  on  me.”  For  every¬ 
thing  that  was  written  in  earlier  times  was  written  for  our 
instruction,  so  that  by  being  steadfast  and  through  the 
encouragement  the  Scriptures  give,  we  might  hold  our  hope 
fast.  May  God,  from  whom  steadfastness  and  encourage¬ 
ment  come,  give  you  such  harmony  with  one  another,  in 
following  the  example  of  Christ  Jesus,  that  you  may  praise 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  one 
accord  and  one  voice. 

Therefore,  treat  one  another  like  brothers,  in  God’s  honor, 
just  as  Christ  has  treated  you.  I  hold  that  Christ  has 
become  an  agent  of  circumcision  to  show  God’s  truthfulness 
in  carrying  out  the  promises  made  to  our  forefathers,  and 
causing  the  heathen  to  praise  God  for  his  mercy;  as  the 
Scripture  says, 

“I  will  give  thanks  to  you  for  this  among  the  heathen, 
And  sing  in  honor  of  your  name.” 

And  again, 

“Rejoice,  you  heathen,  with  his  people!” 

And  again, 

“Praise  the  Lord,  all  you  heathen, 

And  let  all  nations  sing  his  praises.” 

Again  Isaiah  says, 

“The  descendant  of  Jesse  will  come, 

The  one  who  is  to  rise  to  rule  the  heathen; 

The  heathen  will  set  their  hopes  on  him.” 

May  God,  the  source  of  hope,  fill  you  with  perfect  happiness 
and  peace  in  your  faith,  so  that  you  may  have  overflowing 
hope  through  the  power  of  the  holy  Spirit. 

For  my  part,  as  far  as  you  are  concerned,  my  brothers, 

I  am  convinced  that  you  are  already  full  of  goodness  of  heart, 
endowed  with  perfect  knowledge,  and  well  qualified  to  instruct 
one  another.  But,  just  to  refresh  your  memories,  I  have 

15:1-15 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


311 

written  you  pretty  boldly  on  some  points,  because  of  the 
favor  God  has  shown  me  in  making  me  a  minister  of  Christ 
Jesus  among  the  heathen,  to  act  as  a  priest  of  God’s  good  news, 
to  see  that  the  heathen  are  an  acceptable  sacrifice,  conse¬ 
crated  by  the  holy  Spirit.  So  as  a  follower  of  Christ  Jesus 
I  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  my  work  for  God.  For  I  will 
venture  to  speak  only  of  what  Christ  has  accomplished 
through  me  in  winning  the  heathen  to  obedience,  by  word 
and  action,  by  the  force  of  signs  and  marvels,  and  by  the 
power  of  the  holy  Spirit,  with  the  result  that  I  have  completed 
the  preaching  of  the  good  news  of  Christ  all  the  way  from 
Jerusalem  around  to  Illyricum.  In  all  this  it  has  been  my 
ambition  to  preach  the  good  news  only  where  Christ’s  name 
was  unknown,  so  as  not  to  build  on  foundations  other  men 
had  laid.  As  the  Scripture  says, 

“They  who  have  never  been  told  of  him  will  see, 

And  they  who  have  never  heard  will  understand!” 

This  is  why  I  have  so  often  been  prevented  from  coming 
to  see  you.  But  now  there  is  no  more  work  for  me  in  this  part 
of  the  world,  and  as  I  have  had  a  great  desire  for  many  years 
to  come  to  see  you,  when  I  go  to  Spain  I  hope  to  see  you  on 
my  way  there,  and  to  have  you  see  me  off  on  my  journey, 
after  I  have  enjoyed  being  with  you  for  a  while.  Just  now 
I  am  starting  for  Jerusalem,  to  take  help  to  God’s  people. 
For  Macedonia  and  Greece  have  determined  to  make  a 
contribution  for  the  poor  among  God’s  people  in  Jerusalem. 
They  determined  to  do  it,  and  they  really  are  indebted  to 
them,  for  if  the  heathen  have  shared  their  spiritual  blessings, 
they  ought  to  do  them  a  service  in  material  ways.  So  when 
I  have  finished  this  matter,  and  seen  this  contribution  safely 
into  their  possession,  I  will  start  for  Spain,  and  come  to 
you  on  the  way,  and  I  know  that  when  I  do  come  to  see  you, 
I  will  come  with  Christ’s  fullest  blessing. 

I  beg  you,  brothers,  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  the  love  that  the  Spirit  inspires,  join  me  in  most 
earnest  prayer  to  God  for  me.  Pray  that  I  may  escape  from 
those  in  Judea  who  are  disobedient,  and  that  the  help  I  am 
taking  to  Jerusalem  may  be  well  received  by  God’s  people, 
so  that,  if  it  is  God’s  will,  I  may  come  with  a  glad  heart  to  see 

15:16-32 


312 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


you  and  enjoy  a  visit  with  you.  God  who  gives  peace  be 
with  you  all!  Amen. 

I  want  to  introduce  to  you  our  sister  Phoebe,  who  is  a 
helper  in  the  church  at  Cenchreae.  Welcome  her  as  a 
Christian,  as  God’s  people  should  welcome  one  another,  and 
give  her  whatever  help  she  may  need  from  you.  For  she  has 
herself  been  a  protection  to  many,  including  myself. 

Remember  me  to  Prisca  and  Aquila,  my  fellow-workers 
in  the  cause  of  Christ  Jesus,  who  risked  their  necks  to  save  my 
life.  Not  only  I  but  also  all  the  churches  among  the  heathen 
thank  them.  Remember  me  also  to  the  church  that  meets 
at  their  house.  Remember  me  to  my  dear  Epaenetus,  who 
was  the  first  man  in  Asia  to  turn  to  Christ.  Remember  me 
to  Mary,  who  has  worked  so  hard  for  you.  Remember  me  to 
Andronicus  and  Junias,  my  fellow-countrymen,  who  went  to 
prison  with  me.  They  are  noted  men  among  the  missionaries, 
and  they  became  Christians  before  I  did.  Remember  me  to 
Ampliatus,  my  dear  Christian  friend.  Remember  me  to 
Urbanus,  our  fellow-worker  in  Christ’s  cause,  and  to  my  dear 
Stachys.  Remember  me  to  that  veteran  Christian,  Apelles. 
Remember  me  to  those  who  belong  to  the  household  of 
Aristobulus.  Remember  me  to  my  fellow-countryman, 
Herodion.  Remember  me  to  the  Christians  in  the  household 
of  Narcissus.  Remember  me  to  Tryphaena  and  Tryphosa, 
those  hard  workers  in  the  Lord’s  cause.  Remember  me  to 
my  dear  Persis,  who  has  worked  so  hard  for  the  Lord.  Re¬ 
member  me  to  Rufus,  that  eminent  Christian,  and  to  his 
mother,  who  has  been  a  mother  to  me.  Remember  me  to 
Asyncritus,  Phlegon,  Hermes,  Patrobas,  Hermas,  and  the 
brothers  who  meet  with  them.  Remember  me  to  Philologus 
and  Julia,  to  Nereus  and  his  sister,  and  to  Olympas,  and  all 
God’s  people  who  meet  with  them.  Greet  one  another  with  a 
sacred  kiss.  All  the  churches  of  Christ  wish  to  be  remembered 
to  you. 

I  beg  you,  brothers,  to  be  on  the  watch  for  those  who 
introduce  divisions  and  difficulties,  in  opposition  to  the 
instruction  that  you  were  given,  and  to  avoid  them.  Such 
men  are  not  serving  our  Lord  Christ,  but  their  own  base 
passions,  and  with  their  plausible  and  flattering  talk  they 

15:33-16:18 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  ROMANS 


3T3 

deceive  simple-minded  people.  Everyone  has  heard  of  your 
obedience,  and  I  am  very  happy  about  you,  but  I  want  you  to 
be  wise  about  what  is  good  and  guileless  about  what  is  bad. 
And  God,  who  is  the  source  of  peace,  will  soon  crush  Satan 
under  your  feet. 

The  blessing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you. 

My  fellow-worker,  Timothy,  wishes  to  be  remembered  to 
you,  and  so  do  Lucius,  Jason,  and  Sosipater,  my  fellow- 
countrymen.  I,  Tertius,  who  write  this  letter,  wish  to  be 
remembered  to  you  as  a  fellow-Christian.  My  host,  Gaius, 
the  host  of  the  whole  church,  wishes  to  be  remembered  to  you. 
Erastus,  the  city-treasurer,  and  our  brother  Quartus  wish 
to  be  remembered  to  you. 

To  him  who  can  make  you  strong  by  the  good  news  I  bring 
and  the  preaching  about  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  disclosure 
of  the  secret  kept  back  for  long  ages  but  now  revealed,  and  at 
the  command  of  the  eternal  God  made  known  through  the 
writings  of  the  prophets  to  all  the  heathen,  to  lead  them  to 
obedience  and  faith — to  the  one  wise  God  be  glory  forever 
through  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


16: 19-27 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


Paul,  by  the  will  of  God  called  as  an  apostle  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  our  brother  Sosthenes,  to  the  church  of  God  at 
Corinth,  to  those  who  are  consecrated  by  union  with  Christ 
Jesus,  and  called  as  God’s  people,  like  all  those  anywhere 
who  call  on  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  their  Lord  as  well  as 
ours;  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and 
give  you  peace. 

I  am  always  thanking  God  about  you,  for  the  blessing 
God  has  given  you  through  Christ  Jesus.  For  you  have  grown 
rich  in  everything  through  union  with  him — in  power  of 
expression  and  in  capacity  for  knowledge.  So  your  experience 
has  confirmed  the  testimony  that  I  bore  to  Christ,  and  there  is 
no  gift  that  you  lack  even  while  you  are  wating  for  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  reappear,  and  at  the  Day  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  he  will  insure  your  complete  vindication.  God  can  be 
depended  on,  and  it  was  he  who  called  you  to  this  fellowship 
with  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

But  I  urge  you  all,  brothers,  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  agree  in  what  you  say,  and  not  to  allow  factions 
among  you,  but  to  be  perfectly  united  in  mind  and  judgment. 
For  I  have  been  informed,  my  brothers,  by  Chloe’s  people,  that 
quarrels  are  going  on  among  you.  What  I  mean  is  this,  that 
one  of  you  says,  “I  am  a  follower  of  Paul,”  another,  “And  I, 
of  Apollos,”  another,  “And  I,  of  Cephas,”  and  another,  “And 
I,  of  Christ!”  Christ  has  been  divided  up!  But  was  it  Paul 
who  was  crucified  for  you  ?  Or  were  you  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Paul  ?  I  am  thankful  that  I  never  baptized  any  of 
you  except  Crispus  and  Gaius,  so  that  no  one  could  say  that 
you  were  baptized  in  my  name.  And  I  did  baptize  the 
members  of  the  household  of  Stephanas  too;  I  do  not  know 
whether  I  baptized  anyone  else  besides.  For  Christ  did  not 
send  me  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  good  news — but  not  with 
fine  language,  or  the  cross  of  Christ  might  seem  an  empty 
thing. 


1:1-17 


31 4 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  315 


For  to  those  who  are  on  the  way  to  destruction,  the  story 
of  the  cross  is  nonsense,  but  to  us  who  are  to  be  saved,  it 
means  all  the  power  of  God.  For  the  Scripture  says, 

“I  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise, 

And  I  will  thwart  the  shrewdness  of  the  shrewd!” 

Where  now  is  your  philosopher?  Your  scribe?  Your 
reasoner  of  today  ?  Has  not  God  made  a  fool  of  the  world’s 
wisdom  ? 

For  since  in  God’s  providence  the  world  with  all  its 
wisdom  did  not  come  to  know  God,  God  chose,  through  the 
folly  of  the  gospel  message,  to  save  those  who  had  faith  in  him. 
For  Jews  insist  upon  miracles,  and  Greeks  demand  philosophy, 
but  we  proclaim  a  Christ  who  was  crucified — an  idea  that  is 
revolting  to  Jews  and  absurd  to  the  heathen,  but  to  those 
whom  God  has  called,  whether  they  are  Jews  or  Greeks,  a 
Christ  who  is  God’s  power  and  God’s  wisdom.  For  God’s 
folly  is  beyond  the  wisdom  of  men,  and  God’s  weakness  is 
beyond  their  strength. 

For  consider,  brothers,  what  happened  when  God  called 
you.  Not  many  of  you  were  what  men  call  wise,  not  many 
of  you  were  influential,  not  many  were  of  high  birth.  But 
it  was  what  the  world  calls  foolish  that  God  chose  to  put  the 
wise  to  shame  with,  and  it  was  what  the  world  calls  weak  that 
God  chose  to  shame  its  strength  with,  and  it  was  what  the 
world  calls  low  and  insignificant  and  unreal  that  God  chose 
to  nullify  its  realities,  so  that  in  his  presence  no  human 
being  might  have  anything  to  boast  of.  But  you  are  his 
children,  through  your  union  with  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God 
has  made  our  wisdom — our  uprightness  and  consecration  and 
redemption,  so  that,  as  the  Scripture  says,  “Let  him  who 
would  boast,  boast  of  the  Lord!” 

So  when  I  came  to  you,  brothers,  I  did  not  come  and 
tell  you  the  secret  purpose  of  God  in  superior,  philosophical 
language,  for  I  resolved,  while  I  was  with  you,  to  forget 
everything  but  Jesus  Christ  and  his  crucifixion.  For  my 
part,  I  came  among  you  in  weakness  and  with  a  great  deal  of 
fear  and  trembling,  and  my  teaching  and  message  were 
not  put  in  plausible,  philosophical  language,  but  they  were 
attended  with  convincing  spiritual  power,  so  that  your  faith 

1:18-2:5 


3l6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


might  rest,  not  on  human  philosophy,  but  on  the  power  of 
God. 

Yet  there  is  a  wisdom  that  we  impart  when  we  are  with 
people  who  have  a  mature  faith,  but  it  is  not  what  this  world 
calls  wisdom,  nor  what  the  authorities  of  this  world,  doomed 
as  they  are  to  pass  away,  would  call  so.  But  it  is  a  mysterious, 
divine  wisdom  that  we  impart,  hitherto  kept  secret,  and 
destined  by  God  before  the  world  began  for  our  glory.  It  is 
a  wisdom  unknown  to  any  of  the  authorities  of  this  world,  for 
otherwise  they  would  never  have  crucified  our  glorious  Lord. 
But,  as  the  Scripture  says,  there  are  things 

“Which  no  eye  ever  saw  and  no  ear  ever  heard, 

And  never  occurred  to  the  human  mind, 

Which  God  has  provided  for  those  who  love  him.” 

For  God  revealed  them  to  us  through  his  Spirit,  for  the 
Spirit  fathoms  everything,  even  the  depths  of  God  himself. 
For  what  human  being  can  understand  a  man’s  thoughts, 
except  the  man’s  own  spirit  within  him  ?  Just  so  no  one 
understands  the  thoughts  of  God  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  But 
the  Spirit  we  have  received  is  not  that  of  the  world,  but  the 
Spirit  that  comes  from  God,  which  we  have  to  make  us  realize 
the  blessings  God  has  given  us.  These  disclosures  we  impart, 
not  in  the  set  phrases  of  human  philosophy,  but  in  words  the 
Spirit  teaches,  giving  spiritual  truth  a  spiritual  form.  A 
material  man  will  not  accept  what  the  Spirit  of  God  offers. 
It  seems  mere  folly  to  him,  and  he  cannot  understand  it, 
because  it  takes  spiritual  insight  to  see  its  true  value.  But  the 
spiritual  man  is  alive  to  all  true  values,  but  his  own  true  value 
no  unspiritual  man  can  see.  For  who  has  ever  known  the 
Lord’s  thoughts,  so  that  he  can  instruct  him  ?  But  we  share 
the  thoughts  of  Christ. 

So,  for  my  part,  brothers,  I  could  not  treat  you  as  spiritual 
persons;  I  had  to  treat  you  just  as  creatures  of  flesh  and  blood, 
as  babies  in  Christian  living.  I  fed  you  with  milk,  not  solid 
food,  for  you  were  not  ready  for  it. 

Why,  you  are  not  ready  for  it  now,  for  you  are  still 
worldly.  For  when  there  are  still  jealousy  and  quarrels 
among  you,  are  you  not  worldly  and  living  on  a  merely  human 
level  ?  For  when  one  man  says,  “I  am  a  follower  of  Paul,” 

2:6-314 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  317 


and  another,  “I  am  a  follower  of  Apollos,”  are  you  not 
•  simply  human  ?  What  is  Apollos  ?  Or  what  is  Paul  ?  Just 
servants  through  whom  you  came  to  have  faith,  as  the  Lord 
gave  each  of  us  opportunity.  I  did  the  planting,  Apollos 
the  watering,  but  it  was  God  who  made  the  plants  grow. 
So  neither  the  planter  nor  the  waterer  counts  for  anything, 

■  but  only  God  who  makes  the  plants  grow.  The  planter  and 
the  waterer  are  all  one,  though  each  of  us  will  be  paid  for  his 
own  work.  For  we  are  fellow-laborers  for  God,  and  you 
are  God’s  farm,  God’s  building. 

Like  an  expert  builder,  I  laid  a  foundation,  as  God 
commissioned  me  to  do,  and  now  someone  else  is  building 
upon  it.  But  let  everyone  be  careful  how  he  does  so.  For 
no  one  can  lay  any  other  foundation  than  the  one  that  is  laid, 
that  is,  Jesus  Christ  himself.  And  whether  one  uses  gold 
or  silver  or  costly  stone  in  building  on  the  foundation,  or  wood 
or  hay  or  straw,  the  quality  of  everyone’s  work  will  appear,  for 
the  Day  will  show  it.  For  the  Day  will  break  in  fire,  and  the 
fire  will  test  the  quality  of  everyone’s  work.  If  what  a  man  has 
built  on  the  foundation  stands  the  test,  he  will  have  his  pay.  If 
a  man’s  work  is  burned  up,  he  must  stand  the  loss,  though  he 
himself  will  be  saved,  but  as  one  who  has  passed  through  the  fire. 

Do  you  know  that  you  are  God’s  temple  and  that  God’s 
Spirit  makes  its  home  in  you  ?  If  anyone  destroys  the  temple 
of  God,  God  will  destroy  him.  For  the  temple  of  God  is 
sacred,  and  that  is  what  you  are. 

Let  no  one  of  you  deceive  himself.  If  any  one  of  you 
imagines  that  he  is  wiser  than  the  rest  of  you,  in  what  this 
world  calls  wisdom,  he  had  better  become  a  fool,  so  as  to 
become  really  wise.  For  this  world’s  wisdom  is  foolishness 
to  God.  For  the  Scripture  says,  “He  who  catches  the  wise 
with  their  own  cunning,”  and  “The  Lord  knows  that  the 
deliberations  of  the  wise  are  fruitless.”  So  no  one  should 
boast  about  men.  For  it  all  belongs  to  you — Paul,  Apollos, 
Cephas,  the  world,  life,  death,  the  present,  the  future — all 
of  it  belongs  to  you.  But  you  belong  to  Christ,  and  Christ 
belongs  to  God. 

The  right  way  for  a  man  to  think  of  us  is  as  Christ’s 
servants,  and  managers  authorized  to  distribute  the  secret 

3:5-4:i 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


3i8 

truths  of  God.  Now  further,  what  is  always  demanded  of 
managers  is  that  they  can  be  depended  on.  I  for  my  part 
care  very  little  about  being  examined  by  you  or  by  any 
human  court.  I  do  not  even  offer  myself  for  investiga¬ 
tion.  For  while  my  conscience  does  not  trouble  me  at  all, 
that  does  not  prove  that  I  am  innocent.  It  is  the  Lord  who 
must  examine  me.  Do  not  form  any  premature  judgments, 
therefore,  but  wait  until  the  Lord  comes  back.  For  he  will 
light  up  the  darkness  that  now  hides  things  and  show  what  the 
motives  in  people’s  minds  are,  and  then  everyone  will  get 
from  God  the  praise  he  deserves. 

Now,  brothers,  for  your  benefit  I  have  applied  all  this  only 
to  Apollos  and  myself,  by  using  us  as  illustrations  to  teach  you 
the  old  lesson,  “Never  go  beyond  the  letter,”  and  to  keep 
any  of  you  from  boasting  of  one  teacher  at  the  expense  of 
another.  For  who  sees  anything  special  in  you  ?  And  what 
have  you  got  that  you  have  not  been  given  ?  But  if  it  has 
been  given  you,  why  do  you  boast  as  though  it  had  not  been  ? 
Are  you  satisfied  already  ?  Have  you  become  rich  already? 
Have  you  entered  your  kingdom  without  waiting  for  us  ?  I 
wish  you  had  entered  it,  so  that  we  might  share  it  with 
you!  For  it  seems  to  me,  God  has  exhibited  us  apostles  at 
the  very  end  of  the  procession,  like  the  men  condemned  to 
die  in  the  arena.  For  we  have  become  a  spectacle  to  the 
whole  universe,  angels  as  well  as  men.  We  are  made  fools  of, 
for  the  sake  of  Christ,  while  you  are  men  of  sense,  through 
being  united  with  him.  We  are  weak,  you  are  strong.  You 
are  distinguished,  we  are  despised.  To  this  day  we  have 
gone  hungry,  thirsty,  and  ill-clad;  we  have  had  rough  usage, 
we  have  had  no  home,  we  have  worked  with  our  hands  for  a 
living.  When  people  abuse  us,  we  bless  them,  when  they 
persecute  us,  we  put  up  with  it,  when  they  slander  us,  we 
try  to  conciliate  them.  We  have  come  to  be  like  the  scum 
of  the  earth,  the  dregs  of  the  world,  and  we  are  so  now. 

I  do  not  write  this  to  you  to  make  you  ashamed,  but  for 
your  instruction  as  my  dear  children.  For  no  matter  how 
many  guides  you  may  have  in  the  Christian  life,  you  will  not 
have  many  fathers;  for  in  this  matter  of  union  with  Christ, 
I  became  your  father,  through  preaching  the  good  news  to  you. 

4:2-16 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  319 


So  I  urge  you,  follow  my  example.  This  is  why  I  have  sent 
Timothy  to  you.  He  is  a  dear  child  of  mine,  in  the  service 
of  the  Lord,  and  one  on  whom  you  can  depend,  and  he  will 
help  you  to  keep  in  mind  my  methods  in  the  service  of 
Christ  Jesus,  which  I  follow  everywhere  in  every  church. 

Some  of  you  seem  to  think  that  I  am  not  coming  to 
visit  you,  and  are  putting  on  airs  about  it.  But  I  am  coming 
very  soon  to  see  you,  if  the  Lord  is  willing,  and  then  I  will 
find  out,  not  what  these  conceited  people  have  to  say,  but  what 
they  can  actually  do.  For  the  reign  of  God  is  not  a  matter 
of  words  but  of  power.  Which  will  you  have  ?  Shall  I  come 
to  you  with  a  stick,  or  in  a  loving  and  gentle  spirit  ? 

Immorality  is  actually  notorious  among  you,  and 
immorality  of  a  kind  unknown  even  among  the  heathen — that 
a  man  has  taken  his  father’s  wife.  And  can  you  put  on  airs, 
instead  of  being  overwhelmed  with  grief  at  having  to  expel 
from  your  number  the  man  who  has  done  this  ?  For  my  part, 
though  I  have  been  absent  from  you  in  person,  I  have  been 
present  with  you  in  spirit,  and  as  thus  present  I  have  already 
passed  judgment  upon  the  man  who  has  done  this,  and 
meeting  with  you,  in  spirit,  with  the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
by  the  authority  of  our  Lord  Jesus  I  have  handed  the  man  over 
to  Satan,  for  his  physical  destruction,  in  order  that  his  spirit 
may  be  saved  on  the  Day  of  the  Lord.  Certainly  this  is 
nothing  for  you  to  boast  of.  Do  you  not  know  that  a  little 
yeast  will  affect  all  the  dough  ?  You  must  clean  out  the  old 
yeast  and  become  fresh  dough,  free  from  the  old  as  you 
really  are.  For  our  Passover  lamb  is  already  sacrificed;  it 
is  Christ  himself.  So  let  us  keep  the  festival,  not  with  old 
yeast  nor  with  the  yeast  of  vice  and  wickedness,  but  with  the 
unleavened  bread  of  purity  and  truth. 

I  wrote  you  in  my  letter  not  to  associate  with  immoral 
people — not  that  you  are  to  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
the  immoral  people  of  the  world,  any  more  than  with  its 
greedy  and  grasping  people  or  its  idolaters,  for  then  you  would 
have  to  leave  the  world  altogether.  What  I  meant  was  that 
you  are  not  to  associate  with  anyone  who  is  supposed  to  be  a 
Christian  brother,  and  yet  is  immoral  or  greedy  or  idolatrous 
or  abusive  or  drunken  or  grasping — with  such  a  person  you 

4:17-5:11 


3‘ 20 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


must  not  even  eat.  For  what  have  I  to  do  with  judging 
outsiders  ?  Is  it  not  your  part  to  judge  those  who  are  inside 
the  church,  and  God’s,  to  judge  those  who  are  outside  ? 
You  must  drive  the  wrongdoer  out  from  among  you. 

When  one  of  you  has  a  disagreement  with  his  neighbor, 
does  he  dare  to  bring  the  matter  before  a  heathen  court, 
instead  of  laying  it  before  his  Christian  brothers  ?  Do  you  not 
know  that  the  Chrisians  are  to  be  the  judges  of  the  world  ? 
And  if  the  world  is  to  come  before  you  for  judgment,  are  you 
unfit  to  decide  the  most  trivial  cases  ?  Do  you  not  know  that 
we  are  to  be  the  judges  of  angels,  to  say  nothing  of  ordinary 
matters  ?  If  then  you  have  ordinary  matters  to  be  settled, 
will  you  submit  them  for  judgment  to  men  who  are  nothing 
in  the  church  ?  I  ask  it  to  shame  you.  Has  it  come  to  this, 
that  there  is  not  a  single  wise  man  among  you  who  could 
settle  a  disagreement  between  one  brother  and  another,  but 
one  Christian  has  to  go  to  law  with  another,  and  before 
unbelievers  too  ?  Having  lawsuits  with  one  another  at  all 
means  your  utter  failure,  to  begin  with.  Why  not  rather  be 
wronged  ?  Why  not  rather  be  robbed  ?  But  it  is  you  who 
wrong  and  rob  others,  and  your  own  brothers  at  that!  Do 
you  not  know  that  wrongdoers  will  not  have  any  share  in 
God’s  kingdom  ?  Do  not  let  anyone  mislead  you.  People 
who  are  immoral  or  idolaters  or  adulterers  or  sensual  or 
given  to  unnatural  vice  or  thieves  or  greedy — drunkards, 
abusive  people,  robbers — will  not  have  any  share  in  God’s 
kingdom.  Some  of  you  used  to  be  like  that;  but  you  have 
washed  it  all  away,  you  have  been  consecrated,  you  have 
become  upright,  by  the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
through  the  Spirit  of  our  God. 

I  may  do  anything  I  please,  but  not  everything  I  may 
do  is  good  for  me.  I  may  do  anything  I  please;  but  I  am  not 
going  to  let  anything  master  me.  It  is  true,  food  is  meant 
for  the  stomach,  and  the  stomach  for  the  food,  but  God  will 
put  an  end  to  both  of  them.  But  the  body  is  not  meant  for 
immorality,  but  for  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  is 
for  the  body  to  serve.  And  as  God  raised  the  Lord  to  life,  he 
will  raise  us  also  by  his  power.  Do  you  not  know  that  your 
bodies  are  parts  of  Christ’s  body  ?  Am  I  then  to  take  away 

5:12-6:15 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  321 


from  Christ  parts  of  his  body  and  make  them  parts  of  a 
prostitute’s  ?  Never!  Or  do  you  not  know  that  a  man 
who  has  to  do  with  a  prostitute  makes  one  body  with  her  ? 
For  “The  two,”  says  the  Scripture,  “shall  become  physically 
one.”  But  whoever  is  united  with  the  Lord  is  one  with  him 
in  spirit.  Fly  from  immorality!  Any  other  sin  a  man 
commits  is  something  outside  his  body,  but  the  immoral  man 
sins  against  his  own  body.  Or  do  you  not  know  that  your 
body  is  a  temple  of  the  holy  Spirit  that  is  within  you,  which 
you  have  received  from  God  ?  Besides,  you  are  not  your  own ; 
you  have  been  bought  and  paid  for.  Therefore,  honor  God 
with  your  bodies. 

As  to  the  matters  of  which  you  wrote  me,  it  is  an  excellent 
thing  for  a  man  to  remain  unmarried.  But  there  is  so  much 
immorality  that  every  man  had  better  have  a  wife  of  his  own, 
and  every  woman  a  husband  of  her  own.  The  husband  must 
give  his  wife  what  is  due  her,  and  the  wife  must  do  the 
same  by  her  husband.  A  wife  cannot  do  as  she  likes  with 
her  own  person;  it  is  her  husband’s;  and  in  the  same  way  a 
husband  cannot  do  as  he  likes  with  his  own  person;  it  is  his 
wife’s.  You  must  not  refuse  each  other  what  is  due,  unless 
you  agree  to  do  so  for  a  while,  to  devote  yourselves  to  prayer, 
and  then  to  come'  together  again,  so  that  Satan  may  not 
tempt  you  through  your  lack  of  self-control.  But  I  mean 
this  as  a  concession,  not  a  command.  I  should  like  to  have 
everyone  be  just  as  I  am  myself;  but  each  one  has  his  own 
special  gift  from  God,  one  of  one  kind,  and  one  of  another. 

To  all  who  are  unmarried  and  to  widows,  I  would  say 
this:  It  is  an  excellent  thing  if  they  can  remain  single  as  I  am. 
But  if  they  cannot  control  themselves,  let  them  marry. 
For  it  is  better  to  marry  than  to  be  on  fire  with  passion. 
To  those  already  married  my  instructions  are — and  they  are 
not  mine,  but  the  Lord’s — that  a  wife  is  not  to  separate  from 
her  husband.  If  she  does  separate,  she  must  remain  single 
or  else  become  reconciled  to  him.  And  a  husband  must  not 
divorce  his  wife.  To  other  people  I  would  say,  though  not  as 
Christ’s  command,  if  a  Christian  has  a  wife  who  is  not  a 
believer,  and  she  is  willing  to  live  with  him,  he  must  not 
divorce  her,  and  a  woman  who  has  a  husband  who  is  not  a 

6: 16-7:13 


322 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


believer,  but  is  willing  to  live  with  her,  must  not  divorce  her 
husband.  For  the  husband  who  is  not  a  believer  is  conse¬ 
crated  through  union  with  his  wife,  and  the  woman  who  is  not 
a  believer  is  consecrated  through  union  with  her  Christian 
husband,  for  otherwise  your  children  would  be  unblessed,  but, 
as  it  is,  they  are  consecrated.  But  if  the  one  who  is  not  a 
believer  wishes  to  separate,  let  the  separation  take  place.  In 
such  cases  the  brother  or  sister  is  not  a  slave;  God  has  called 
you  to  live  in  peace.  For  how  do  you  wives  know  whether 
you  will  save  your  husbands  ?  Or  how  do  you  husbands 
know  whether  you  will  save  your  wives  ? 

Only,  everyone  must  continue  in  the  station  which  the 
Lord  has  appointed  for  him,  and  in  which  he  was  when  God’s 
call  came  to  him.  This  is  the  rule  I  make  in  all  the  churches. 
If  a  man  was  circumcised  when  he  was  called,  he  must  not  try 
to  alter  it.  If  a  man  was  uncircumcised  when  he  was  called, 
he  must  not  have  himself  circumcised.  Being  circumcised 
or  being  uncircumcised  does  not  make  any  difference;  all  that 
matters  is  keeping  God’s  commands.  Everyone  ought  to 
remain  in  the  station  in  which  he  was  called.  If  you  were 
a  slave  when  you  were  called,  never  mind.  Even  if  you  can 
gain  your  freedom,  make  the  most  of  your  present  condition 
instead.  For  a  slave  who  has  been  called  to  union  with  the 
Lord  is  a  freedman  of  the  Lord,  just  as  a  free  man  who  has 
been  called  is  a  slave  of  Christ.  You  have  been  bought  and 
paid  for;  you  must  not  let  yourselves  become  slaves  to  men. 
Brothers,  everyone  must  remain  in  fellowship  with  God  in 
the  station  in  which  he  was  called. 

About  unmarried  women  I  have  no  command  of  the  Lord 
to  give  you,  but  I  will  give  you  my  opinion  as  that  of  one  on 
whom  through  the  Lord’s  mercy  you  can  depend. 

This,  then,  is  my  opinion  in  view  of  the  present  distress 
— that  it  is  a  good  thing  for  a  man  to  remain  just  as  he  is. 
If  you  are  united  to  a  wife,  do  not  seek  to  be  released.  If  you 
are  not,  do  not  seek  a  wife.  But  if  you  do  marry,  there  is  no 
sin  in  that.  And  if  a  girl  marries,  it  is  no  sin.  But  those  who 
marry  will  have  worldly  trouble,  which  I  would  like  to  spare 
you.  But  this  I  do  say,  brothers.  The  appointed  time  has 
grown  very  short.  From  this  time  on  those  who  have  wives 

7^4-29 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  323 


should  live  as  though  they  had  none,  and  those  who  mourn 
as  though  they  did  not  mourn,  and  those  who  are  glad  as 
though  they  were  not  glad,  and  those  who  buy  anything  as 
though  they  did  not  own  it,  and  those  who  mix  in  the  world, 
as  though  they  were  not  absorbed  in  it.  For  the  present 
shape  of  the  world  is  passing  away.  I  want  you  to  be  free 
from  all  anxiety.  An  unmarried  man  is  concerned  about  the 
Lord’s  work,  and  how  he  can  please  the  Lord.  A  married 
man  is  concerned  about  worldly  affairs,  and  how  he  can 
please  his  wife,  and  so  his  interests  are  divided.  An  unmarried 
woman  or  a  girl  is  concerned  about  the  Lord’s  work,  so  as  to 
be  consecrated  in  body  and  spirit,  but  the  woman  who 
marries  is  concerned  with  worldly  affairs,  and  how  she  can 
please  her  husband.  It  is  for  your  benefit  that  I  say  this, 
not  to  put  a  halter  on  you,  but  to  promote  good  order,  and  to 
secure  your  undivided  devotion  to  the  Lord. 

But  if  a  man  thinks  he  is  not  acting  properly  toward 
the  girl  to  whom  he  is  engaged,  if  his  passions  are  too  strong, 
and  that  is  what  ought  to  be  done,  let  him  do  as  he  pleases; 
it  is  no  sin;  let  them  be  married.  But  a  man  who  has 
definitely  made  up  his  mind,  under  no  constraint  of  passion 
but  with  full  self-control,  and  who  has  decided  in  his  own 
mind  to  keep  her  as  she  is,  will  be  doing  what  is  right.  So 
the  man  who  marries  her  does  what  is  right,  and  the  man  who 
refrains  from  doing  so  does  even  better. 

A  wife  is  bound  to  her  husband  as  long  as  he  lives.  If 
her  husband  dies,  she  is  free  to  marry  anyone  she  pleases  so 
long  as  he  is  a  Christian.  But  she  will  be  happier,  in  my 
judgment,  if  she  remains  as  she  is,  and  I  think  I  have  God’s 
spirit  as  well  as  other  people. 

About  food  that  has  been  offered  to  idols,  it  is  true,  as  you 
say,  that  we  all  have  some  knowledge  on  that  matter. 
Knowledge  gives  people  airs;  love  is  what  builds  up  character. 
If  a  man  thinks  he  has  acquired  some  knowledge,  he  does  not 
yet  know  it  as  well  as  he  ought  to  know  it.  But  if  a  man 
loves  God,  God  is  known  by  him.  As  to  eating  things,  then, 
that  have  been  offered  to  idols,  we  all  know  that  no  idol  has 
any  real  existence,  and  that  there  is  no  God  but  one.  For 
supposing  there  are  so-called  gods  in  heaven  or  on  earth — and 

7:30-8:5 


31 4 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


indeed  there  are  plenty  of  such  gods  and  lords — yet  for  us  there 
is  just  one  God,  the  Father,  who  is  the  source  of  all  things, 
and  for  whom  we  live,  and  just  one  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  through 
whom  everything  was  made  and  through  whom  we  live. 
But  it  is  not  everyone  that  has  this  knowledge;  for  some, 
through  being  long  accustomed  to  idols,  still  eat  meat  that  has 
been  sacrificed  to  them  as  really  offered  to  an  idol,  and  their 
consciences,  being  oversensitive,  are  troubled.  But  food  is 
not  going  to  affect  our  standing  with  God.  We  are  none  the 
worse  if  we  do  not  eat  it,  and  none  the  better  if  we  do.  But 
you  must  take  care  that  this  right  of  yours  does  not  prove 
a  hindrance  to  the  overscrupulous.  For  if  somebody  sees 
you,  who  are  intelligent  about  this  matter,  attending  a  dinner 
in  an  idol’s  temple,  will  not  he,  with  his  sensitive  conscience, 
be  led  to  eat  meat  that  is  offered  to  idols  ?  For  this  over- 
scrupulous  brother,  for  whom  Christ  died,  is  ruined  by  what 
you  call  your  knowledge.  But  in  sinning  against  your 
brothers  in  this  way  and  wounding  their  too  scrupulous  con¬ 
sciences,  you  are  really  sinning  against  Christ.  Therefore, 
if  what  I  eat  makes  my  brother  fall,  I  will  never  eat  meat 
again,  rather  than  make  my  brother  fall. 

Am  I  not  free  ?  Am  I  not  an  apostle  ?  Have  I  not  seen 
Jesus  our  Lord  ?  Are  you  not  the  product  of  my  work  in  the 
Lord’s  service  ?  If  I  am  not  an  apostle  to  other  people,  I 
certainly  am  one  to  you,  for  you  yourselves,  in  your  relation 
to  the  Lord,  are  the  certificate  of  my  apostleship. 

My  answer  to  those  who  want  to  investigate  me  is  this: 
Have  we  not  a  right  to  our  food  and  drink  ?  Have  we  not  a 
right  to  take  a  Christian  wife  about  with  us,  like  the  rest  of  the 
apostles  and  the  Lord’s  brothers  and  Cephas  ?  Or  is  it  only 
Barnabas  and  I  that  have  no  right  to  give  up  working  for  a 
living  ?  What  soldier  ever  pays  his  expenses  out  of  his  own 
pay  ?  Who  plants  a  vineyard  and  does  not  eat  any  of  the 
grapes  ?  Who  tends  a  flock  and  does  not  get  any  of  the  milk  ? 
Am  I  saying  only  what  men  say  ?  Does  not  the  Law  say  so 
too  ?  For  in  the  Law  of  Moses  it  reads,  “You  shall  not  muzzle 
an  ox  that  is  treading  out  the  grain.”  Is  it  about  the  oxen 
that  God  is  concerned  ?  Is  he  not  clearly  speaking  in  our 
interest  ?  Of  course  this  law  was  written  in  our  interest, 

8:6-9:10 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  325 


because  the  plowman  ought  to  plow,  and  the  thresher  to 
thresh,  in  the  expectation  of  sharing  in  the  crop.  If  it  was 
we  who  sowed  the  spiritual  seed  among  you,  is  it  too  much  if 
we  reap  material  benefits  from  you  ?  If  others  enjoy  such 
rights  over  you,  have  we  not  a  still  better  claim  ?  But,  you 
say,  we  have  never  availed  ourselves  of  this  right.  No,  we 
will  stand  anything  rather  than  put  any  hindrance  in  the  way 
of  the  good  news  of  the  Christ.  Do  you  not  know  that  those 
who  do  the  work  about  the  Temple  get  their  living  from  the 
Temple,  and  those  who  attend  to  the  altar  divide  the  sacrifices 
with  the  altar  ?  In  just  that  way  the  Lord  directed  that  those 
who  preach  the  good  news  should  get  their  living  from  it. 
But  I  have  not  availed  myself  of  any  of  these  rights.  And 
I  am  not  writing  this  now  so  that  I  may  become  an  illustration 
of  this;  I  had  rather  die  than  do  that.  No  one  shall  deprive 
me  of  this  boast  of  mine.  As  far  as  preaching  the  good  news 
is  concerned,  that  is  nothing  for  me  to  boast  of,  for  I  cannot 
help  doing  it.  For  I  am  ruined  if  I  do  not  preach.  For  if  I  do 
it  of  my  own  accord,  I  have  my  pay,  but  if  I  do  it  because  I 
must,  it  is  still  a  responsibility  that  I  am  charged  with. 
What  pay  then  do  I  get  ?  Why,  that  in  my  preaching  I  can 
offer  the  good  news  without  cost,  and  so  not  take  full 
advantage  of  my  rights  as  a  preacher. 

Though  I  am  free  from  anyone’s  control,  I  have  made 
myself  everyone’s  slave,  so  as  to  win  over  all  the  more.  To 
the  Jews  I  have  become  like  a  Jew,  to  win  Jews  over;  to  men 
under  the  Law  I  have  become  like  a  man  under  the  Law, 
though  I  am  not  myself  under  the  Law,  so  as  to  win  over  those 
who  are  under  the  Law.  To  those  who  have  no  law  I  have 
become  like  a  man  without  any  law — though  I  am  not  without 
the  law  of  God,  but  under  the  law  of  Christ — so  as  to  win 
over  those  who  are  without  any  law.  To  the  overscrupulous 
I  have  become  overscrupulous,  so  as  to  win  the  overscrupulous; 
I  have  become  everything  to  everybody,  so  as  by  all  means 
to  save  some  of  them.  And  I  do  it  all  for  the  sake  of  the 
good  news,  so  that  I  may  share  in  its  blessings  along  with  the 
rest. 

Do  you  not  know  that  in  a  race  the  runners  all  compete, 
but  only  one  wins  the  prize  ?  That  is  the  way  you  must  run, 

9:11-24 


3  26 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


so  as  to  win.  Any  man  who  enters  an  athletic  contest 
goes  into  strict  training,  to  win  a  wreath  that  will  soon  wither, 
but  the  one  we  compete  for  will  never  wither.  So  that  is  the 
way  I  run,  unswervingly.  That  is  the  way  I  fight,  not  punch¬ 
ing  the  air.  But  I  beat  and  bruise  my  body  and  make  it  my 
slave,  so  that  after  I  have  called  others  to  the  contest  I  may 
not  be  disqualified  myself. 

For  I  would  not  have  you  forget,  brothers,  that  though 
our  forefathers  were  all  protected  by  the  cloud,  and  all  passed 
safely  through  the  sea,  and  in  the  cloud  and  the  sea  all,  as  it 
were,  accepted  baptism  as  followers  of  Moses,  and  all  ate  the 
same  supernatural  food  and  drank  the  same  supernatural 
drink — for  they  used  to  drink  from  a  supernatural  rock  which 
attended  them,  and  the  rock  was  really  Christ— still  most  of 
them  disappointed  God,  for  they  were  struck  down  in  the  desert. 

Now  these  things  happened  to  warn  us,  so  that  we  should 
not  long  for  what  is  evil  as  they  did.  You  must  not  become 
idolaters,  like  some  of  them,  for  the  Scripture  says,  “The 
people  sat  down  to  eat  and  drink  and  got  up  to  dance.”  Let 
us  not  practice  immorality,  like  some  of  them,  twenty-three 
thousand  of  whom  fell  dead  in  one  day.  Let  us  not  try  the 
Lord’s  patience  too  far,  as  some  of  them  did,  for  they  were 
killed  for  it  by  the  snakes.  You  must  not  grumble,  as  some  of 
them  did,  for  they  were  destroyed  for  it  by  the  destroying 
angel.  These  things  happened  to  them  as  a  warning  to 
others,  but  they  were  written  down  to  instruct  us,  in  whose 
days  the  ages  have  reached  their  climax. 

So  the  man  who  thinks  he  can  stand  must  be  on  his  guard 
against  a  fall.  It  is  no  superhuman  temptation  that  you  have 
had.  And  God  can  be  depended  on,  not  to  let  you  be  tried 
beyond  your  strength,  but  when  temptation  comes,  to  give 
you  a  way  out  of  it,  so  that  you  can  withstand  it. 

Therefore,  my  dear  brothers,  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  worship  of  idols.  I  appeal  to  your  good  sense.  Make 
up  your  minds  about  what  I  say.  Does  not  the  consecrated 
cup  which  we  bless  mean  that  in  drinking  it  we  share  in  the 
blood  of  Christ  ?  Does  not  the  bread  that  we  break  mean 
that  in  eating  it  we  share  in  the  body  of  Christ  ?  Because 
there  is  one  loaf,  we,  many  as  we  are,  are  one  body,  for  we  all 

9:25-10:17 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  327 


share  the  one  loafi  Think  of  the  Israelites’  practices.  Do 
not  those  who  eat  what  is  sacrificed  have  divine  fellowship  at 
the  sacrificial  altar  ?  What  am  I  saying  then  ?  That  there  is 
any  such  thing  as  being  offered  to  an  idol,  or  any  such  thing 
as  an  idol  ?  No,  but  that  what  the  heathen  sacrifice  they  offer 
to  demons  and  not  to  God,  and  I  do  not  want  you  to  have 
fellowship  with  demons.  You  cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the 
Lord  and  the  cup  of  demons.  You  cannot  eat  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord  and  at  the  table  of  demons.  Or  are  we  trying 
to  arouse  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ?  Are  we  stronger  than  he  is  ? 

We  are  free  to  do  anything,  but  not  everything  is  good 
for  us.  We  are  free  to  do  anything,  but  not  everything  builds 
up  character.  No  one  should  look  after  his  own  advantage 
but  after  that  of  his  neighbor. 

Eat  anything  for  sale  in  the  meat  market  without 
raising  any  question,  as  far  as  conscience  is  concerned,  for  the 
earth  and  everything  in  it  belong  to  the  Lord.  If  one  of  the 
heathen  invites  you  to  his  house,  and  you  wish  to  go,  eat 
whatever  is  served,  without  raising  any  question,  as  far  as 
conscience  is  concerned.  But  if  someone  says  to  you,  “This 
meat  has  been  offered  in  sacrifice,”  let  it  alone,  on  account  of 
the  man  who  told  you  and  his  conscientious  scruples;  his 
scruples,  I  say,  not  yours.  For  why  should  my  liberty  of 
action  be  limited  by  another’s  scruples  ?  If  I  give  thanks 
for  what  I  eat,  why  should  I  be  denounced  for  eating  what 
I  give  thanks  over  ? 

So  whether  you  are  eating  or  drinking  or  doing  anything 
else,  do  it  all  to  the  honor  of  God.  You  must  not  be 
hindrances  to  Jews  or  Greeks  or  to  the  church  of  God  either, 
just  as  I  for  my  part  try  to  please  everyone  in  all  I  do,  not 
aiming  at  my  own  advantage,  but  at  that  of  people  generally, 
in  order  that  they  may  be  saved.  You  must  follow  my 
example  in  this,  as  I  am  following  Christ’s. 

I  appreciate  your  always  remembering  me,  and  your 
standing  by  the  things  I  passed  on  to  you,  just  as  you  received 
them.  But  I  want  you  to  understand  that  Christ  is  the 
head  of  every  man,  while  a  woman’s  head  is  her  husband, 
and  Christ’s  head  is  God.  Any  man  who  offers  prayer  or 
explains  the  will  of  God  with  anything  on  his  head  disgraces 

10:18-11:4 


31 8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


his  head,  and  any  woman  who  offers  prayer  or  explains  the 
will  of  God  bareheaded  disgraces  her  head,  for  it  is  just  as 
though  she  had  her  head  shaved.  For  if  a  woman  will  not 
wear  a  veil,  let  her  cut  off  her  hair  too.  But  if  it  is  a  disgrace 
for  a  woman  to  have  her  hair  cut  off  or  her  head  shaved,  let 
her  wear  a  veil.  For  a  man  ought  not  to  wear  anything  on 
his  head,  for  he  is  the  image  of  God  and  reflects  his  glory; 
while  woman  is  the  reflection  of  man’s  glory.  For  man 
was  not  made  from  woman,  but  woman  from  man,  and  man 
was  not  created  for  woman,  but  woman  was  for  man.  That 
is  why  she  ought  to  wear  upon  her  head  something  to  symbol¬ 
ize  her  subjection,  out  of  respect  to  the  angels,  if  to  nobody 
else.  But  in  union  with  the  Lord,  woman  is  not  independent 
of  man  nor  man  of  woman.  For  just  as  woman  was  made 
from  man,  man  is  born  of  woman,  and  both  like  everything 
else  really  come  from  God.  Judge  for  yourselves.  Is  it 
proper  for  a  woman  to  offer  prayer  to  God  with  nothing  on  her 
head  ?  Does  not  nature  itself  teach  you  that  for  a  man  to 
wear  his  hair  long  is  degrading,  but  a  woman’s  long  hair  is 
her  pride?  For  her  hair  is  given  her  as  a  covering.  But  if 
anyone  is  disposed  to  be  contentious  about  it,  I  for  my  part 
recognize  no  other  practice  in  worship  than  this,  and  neither 
do  the  churches  of  God. 

But  while  I  am  on  this  subject,  I  cannot  approve  of 
your  meetings,  because  they  are  doing  you  more  harm  than 
good.  For,  in  the  first  place,  when  you  meet  as  a  congrega¬ 
tion,  I  hear  that  you  divide  into  sets,  and  in  a  measure  I 
believe  it.  Doubtless  there  must  be  parties  among  you, 
if  those  who  are  right  are  to  be  recognized  among  you.  So 
when  you  hold  your  meetings  it  is  not  the  Lord’s  Supper  that 
you  eat,  for  each  of  you  hurries  to  get  his  own  supper  and  eat 
it,  and  one  goes  hungry  while  another  gets  drunk.  Have  you 
no  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in  ?  Or  do  you  mean  to  show  your 
contempt  for  the  church  of  God,  and  to  humiliate  those  who 
have  none  ?  What  can  I  say  to  you  ?  Can  I  approve  of  you  ? 
Not  in  this  matter  certainly.  For  I  myself  received  from  the 
Lord  the  account  that  I  passed  on  to  you,  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
the  night  he  was  betrayed  took  some  bread  and  gave  thanks 
for  it  and  then  broke  it  in  pieces,  saying,  “This  is  my  body 

11:5-24 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  329 


which  takes  your  place.  Do  this  in  memory  of  me.”  He  took 
the  cup,  too,  after  supper,  in  the  same  way,  saying,  “This  cup 
is  the  new  agreement  ratified  by  my  blood.  Whenever  you 
drink  it,  do  so  in  memory  of  me.”  For  until  the  Lord  comes 
back,  every  time  you  eat  this  bread  and  drink  from  the  cup, 
you  proclaim  his  death.  Hence  anyone  who  eats  the  bread 
or  drinks  from  the  Lord’s  cup  in  a  way  that  is  unworthy  of  it 
will  be  guilty  of  profaning  the  body  and  the  blood  of  the  Lord. 
A  man  should  examine  himself,  and  only  when  he  has  done  so 
should  he  eat  any  of  the  bread  or  drink  from  the  cup.  For 
anyone  who  eats  and  drinks,  eats  and  drinks  a  judgment 
upon  himself  if  he  does  not  recognize  the  body.  This  is  why 
many  of  you  are  sick  and  ill  and  a  number  have  fallen  asleep. 
But  if  we  recognized  our  own  condition,  we  would  not  incur 
this  judgment.  But  since  we  do  incur  it,  we  are  disciplined 
by  the  Lord,  so  that  we  may  not  be  condemned  along  with  the 
world.  So,  my  brothers,  when  you  come  together  to  eat,  wait 
for  one  another.  If  anyone  is  hungry,  let  him  eat  at  home, 
so  that  your  meetings  may  not  bring  down  a  judgment  upon 
you.  The  details  I  will  settle  when  I  come. 

About  spiritual  gifts,  brothers,  I  do  not  want  you  to  be 
misinformed.  You  know  that  when  you  were  heathen  you 
would  stray  off,  as  impulse  directed,  to  idols  that  could  not 
speak.  Therefore,  I  must  tell  you  that  no  one  who  is  speaking 
under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ever  says,  “Curse 
Jesus!”  and  no  one  can  say,  “Jesus  is  Lord!”  without  being 
under  the  influence  of  the  holy  Spirit. 

Endowments  vary,  but  the  Spirit  is  the  same,  and  forms 
of  service  vary,  but  it  is  the  same  Lord  who  is  served,  and 
activities  vary,  but  God  who  produces  them  all  in  us  all  is  the 
same.  Each  one  is  given  his  spiritual  illumination  for  the 
common  good.  One  man  receives  through  the  Spirit  the  power 
to  speak  wisely,  another,  by  the  same  Spirit,  receives  the  power 
to  express  knowledge,  another,  from  his  union  with  the  same 
Spirit  receives  faith,  another,  by  one  and  the  same  Spirit, 
the  ability  to  cure  the  sick,  another,  the  working  of  wonders, 
another,  inspiration  in  preaching,  another,  the  power  of  dis¬ 
tinguishing  the  true  Spirit  from  false  ones,  another,  various 
ecstatic  utterances,  and  another,  the  ability  to  explain  them. 

11:25-12:10 


33° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


These  are  all  produced  by  one  and  the  same  Spirit,  and 
apportioned  to  each  of  us  just  as  the  Spirit  chooses. 

For  just  as  the  body  is  one  and  yet  has  many  parts,  and 
all  the  parts  of  the  body,  many  as  they  are,  form  one  body, 
so  it  is  with  Christ.  For  we  have  all— Jews  or  Greeks,  slaves 
or  free  men — been  baptized  in  one  spirit  to  form  one  body, 
and  we  have  all  been  saturated  with  one  Spirit.  For  the  body 
does  not  consist  of  one  part  but  of  many.  If  the  foot  says, 
“As  I  am  not  a  hand,  I  am  not  a  part  of  the  body,”  that  does 
not  make  it  any  less  a  part  of  the  body.  And  if  the  ear  says, 
“As  I  am  not  an  eye,  I  am  not  a  part  of  the  body,”  that  does 
not  make  it  any  less  a  part  of  the  body.  If  all  the  body  were 
eye,  how  would  we  hear  ?  If  it  were  all  ear,  how  could  we 
have  a  sense  of  smell  ?  As  it  is,  God  has  arranged  the  parts, 
every  one  of  them  in  the  body  as  he  wished  them  to  be.  If 
they  were  all  one  part,  where  would  the  body  be  ?  As  it  is, 
there  are  many  parts,  but  one  body.  The  eye  cannot  say 
to  the  hand,  “I  do  not  need  you,”  or  the  head  to  the  feet, 
“I  do  not  need  you.”  On  the  contrary,  the  parts  of  the 
body  that  are  considered  most  delicate  are  indispensable, 
and  the  parts  of  it  that  we  think  common,  we  dress  with 
especial  care,  and  our  unpresentable  parts  receive  especial 
attention  which  our  presentable  parts  do  not  need.  God  has 
so  adjusted  the  body  and  given  such  especial  distinction  to  its 
inferior  parts  that  there  is  no  clash  in  the  body,  but  its  parts 
all  alike  care  for  one  another.  If  one  part  suffers,  all  the  parts 
share  its  sufferings.  If  a  part  has  honor  done  it,  all  the  parts 
enjoy  it  too.  Now  you  are  Christ’s  body,  and  individually 
parts  of  it.  And  God  has  placed  people  in  the  church,  first  as 
apostles,  second  as  inspired  preachers,  third  as  teachers,  then 
wonder-workers;  then  come  ability  to  cure  the  sick,  helpful¬ 
ness,  administration,  ecstatic  speaking.  Is  everyone  an 
apostle  ?  Is  everyone  an  inspired  preacher  ?  Is  everyone  a 
teacher  ?  Is  everyone  a  wonder-worker  ?  Is  everyone  able 
to  cure  the  sick  ?  Can  everyone  speak  ecstatically  ?  Can 
everyone  explain  what  it  means  ?  But  you  must  cultivate 
the  higher  endowments. 

I  will  show  you  a  far  better  way.  If  I  can  speak  the 
languages  of  men  and  even  of  angels,  but  have  no  love,  I  am 

121 II-I3: I 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  331 


only  a  noisy  gong  or  a  clashing  cymbal.  If  I  am  inspired  to 
preach  and  know  all  the  secret  truths  and  possess  all  knowl¬ 
edge,  and  if  I  have  such  perfect  faith  that  I  can  move  moun¬ 
tains,  but  have  no  love,  I  am  nothing.  Even  if  I  give  away 
everything  I  own,  and  give  myself  up,  but  do  it  in  pride,  not 
love,  it  does  me  no  good.  Love  is  patient  and  kind.  Love  is 
not  envious  or  boastful.  It  does  not  put  on  airs.  It  is  not 
rude.  It  does  not  insist  on  its  rights.  It  does  not  become 
1  angry.  It  is  not  resentful.  It  is  not  happy  over  injustice, 
it  is  only  happy  with  truth.  It  will  bear  anything,  believe 
anything,  hope  for  anything,  endure  anything.  Love  will 
never  die  out.  If  there  is  inspired  preaching,  it  will  pass 
away.  If  there  is  ecstatic  speaking,  it  will  cease.  If  there 
is  knowledge,  it  will  pass  away.  For  our  knowledge  is  imper¬ 
fect  and  our  preaching  is  imperfect.  But  when  perfection 
comes,  what  is  imperfect  will  pass  away.  When  I  was  a 
child,  I  talked  like  a  child,  I  thought  like  a  child,  I  reasoned 
like  a  child.  When  I  became  a  man,  I  put  aside  my  childish 
ways.  For  now  we  are  looking  at  a  dim  reflection  in  a  mirror, 
but  then  we  shall  see  face  to  face.  Now  my  knowledge  is 
imperfect,  but  then  I  shall  know  as  fully  as  God  knows  me. 
So  faith,  hope,  and  love  endure.  These  are  the  great  three, 
and  the  greatest  of  them  is  love. 

You  must  pursue  love,  while  you  are  cultivating  the 
spiritual  endowments,  and  especially  inspired  preaching. 
For  anyone  who  speaks  ecstatically  is  speaking  not  to  men 
but  to  God,  for  no  one  can  understand  him,  though  he  is 
uttering  secret  truths.  But  the  inspired  preacher  does  his 
fellow-men  good  and  encourages  and  comforts  them.  Any¬ 
one  who  speaks  ecstatically  does  himself  good,  but  the  inspired 
preacher  does  a  congregation  good.  I  want  you  all  to  speak 
ecstatically,  but  I  especially  want  you  to  be  inspired  to  preach. 
The  man  who  is  inspired  to  preach  is  more  useful  than  the  one 
who  speaks  ecstatically — unless  he  can  explain  what  he  says 
so  that  it  may  do  the  church  some  good. 

But  as  it  is,  brothers,  if  I  come  back  to  you  and  speak 
ecstatically,  what  good  will  I  do  you,  unless  I  have  some 
revelation  or  special  knowledge  or  message  or  teaching  to  give 
you  ?  Even  inanimate  things,  like  the  flute  or  the  harp,  may 

13:2-14:7 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


332 

produce  sound,  but  if  there  is  no  difference  in  the  notes,  how 
can  you  tell  what  is  being  played  ?  If  the  bugle  does  not 
sound  a  clear  call,  who  will  prepare  for  battle  ?  So  if  you  in 
your  ecstatic  speaking  utter  words  no  one  can  understand, 
how  will  people  know  what  you  are  saying  ?  Y ou  will  be  talk¬ 
ing  to  the  empty  air!  There  are  probably  ever  so  many 
different  languages  in  the  world,  each  with  its  own  meaning. 
So  if  I  do  not  know  the  meaning  of  the  language,  I  shall  seem 
to  the  man  who  is  speaking  to  be  a  foreigner,  and  he  will  seem 
to  me  to  be  one  too.  So  since  you  are  ambitious  for  spiritual 
endowments,  you  must  try  to  excel  in  them  in  ways  that  will 
do  good  to  the  church.  Therefore,  the  man  who  can  speak 
ecstatically  should  pray  for  the  power  to  explain  what  he  says. 
For  if  I  pray  ecstatically,  it  is  my  spirit  that  prays,  but  my 
mind  is  helping  nobody.  Then  what  am  I  to  do  ?  I  will  pray 
ecstatically,  but  I  will  pray  intelligently  too.  I  will  sing 
ecstatically,  but  I  will  sing  intelligently  too.  For  if  you  utter 
blessings  in  ecstatic  speech,  how  is  an  ordinary  man  to  say 
Amen  to  your  thanksgiving  ?  For  he  does  not  know  what 
you  are  saying.  You  are  giving  thanks  well  enough,  but  it 
is  doing  him  no  good.  Thank  God,  I  speak  in  ecstasy  more 
than  any  of  you.  But  in  public  worship  I  would  rather  say 
five  words  with  my  understanding  so  as  to  instruct  others  also 
than  ten  thousand  words  in  an  ecstasy. 

Brothers,  you  must  not  be  children  mentally.  In  evil  be 
babies,  but  mentally  be  mature.  In  the  Law  it  says,  “  By  men 
of  strange  languages  and  by  the  lips  of  foreigners  I  will  speak 
to  this  nation,  and  not  even  then  will  they  listen  to  me,  says 
the  Lord.”  So  this  ecstatic  speaking  is  meant  as  a  sign  not  to 
those  who  believe  but  to  unbelievers,  but  inspired  preaching 
is  a  sign  not  to  unbelievers  but  to  those  who  believe.  Hence, 
if  the  whole  church  assembles  and  they  all  speak  ecstatically, 
and  ordinary  people  or  unbelievers  come  in,  will  they  not 
say  that  you  are  crazy  ?  But  if  they  are  all  inspired  to  preach 
and  some  unbeliever  or  outsider  comes  in,  he  is  convinced 
of  his  sin  by  them  all,  he  is  called  to  account  by  them  all,  the 
secrets  of  his  heart  are  exposed,  and  he  will  fall  down  on  his 
face  and  worship  God,  and  declare  that  God  is  really  among 
you. 

14:8-25 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  333 


Then  what  is  the  right  course,  brothers  ?  When  you 
meet  together,  suppose  every  one  of  you  has  a  song,  a  teaching, 
a  revelation,  an  ecstatic  utterance,  or  an  explanation  of  one; 
it  must  all  be  for  the  good  of  all.  If  there  is  any  ecstatic 
speaking,  let  it  be  limited  to  two  or  three  people  at  the  most, 
and  have  one  speak  at  a  time  and  someone  explain  what  he 
says.  But  if  there  is  no  one  to  explain  it,  have  him  keep 
quiet  in  church,  and  talk  to  himself  and  to  God.  And  let  two 
or  three  who  are  inspired  to  preach  speak,  while  the  rest  weigh 
what  is  said;  and  if  anything  is  revealed  to  another  who  is 
seated,  the  one  who  is  speaking  must  stop.  For  in  this 
way  you  can  all  preach  one  after  another,  as  you  are  inspired 
to,  so  that  everyone  may  be  instructed  and  stimulated,  for 
the  spirits  of  prophets  will  give  way  to  prophets,  for  God 
is  not  a  God  of  disorder  but  of  peace.  This  is  the  rule  in  all 
Christian  churches. 

Women  are  to  keep  quiet  in  church,  for  they  are  not 
allowed  to  speak.  They  must  take  a  subordinate  place,  just 
as  the  Law  says.  If  they  want  to  find  out  about  anything, 
they  should  ask  their  husbands  at  home,  for  it  is  disgraceful  for 
a  woman  to  speak  in  church.  Did  God’s  message  start  from 
you  Corinthians  ?  Or  are  you  the  only  people  it  has  reached  ? 

If  anyone  claims  to  be  inspired  to  preach,  or  to  have  any 
other  spiritual  endowment,  let  him  understand  that  what  I 
am  now  writing  you  is  a  command  from  the  Lord.  If  anyone 
pays  no  attention  to  it,  pay  no  attention  to  him.  So,  my 
brothers,  set  your  hearts  on  being  inspired  to  preach,  and  yet 
do  not  hinder  people  from  speaking  ecstatically.  But  let 
everything  be  done  in  a  proper  and  orderly  way. 

Now  I  want  to  remind  you,  brothers,  of  the  form  in  which  I 
presented  to  you  the  good  news  I  brought,  which  you  accepted 
and  have  stood  by,  and  through  which  you  are  to  be  saved, 
if  you  hold  on,  unless  your  faith  has  been  all  for  nothing.  For 
I  passed  on  to  you,  as  of  first  importance,  the  account  I  had 
received,  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins,  as  the  Scriptures  fore¬ 
told,  that  he  was  buried,  that  on  the  third  day  he  was  raised 
from  the  dead,  and  that  he  was  seen  by  Cephas,  and  then  by 
the  Twelve.  After  that  he  was  seen  by  more  than  five 
hundred  brothers  at  one  time,  most  of  whom  are  still  alive, 

14:26-15:6 


334 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


although  some  of  them  have  fallen  asleep.  Then  he  was  seen 
by  James,  then  by  all  the  apostles,  and  finally  he  was  seen 
by  me  also,  as  though  I  were  born  at  the  wrong  time.  For 
I  am  the  least  important  of  the  apostles,  and  am  not  fit  to  be 
called  an  apostle,  because  I  once  persecuted  God’s  church. 
But  by  God’s  favor  I  have  become  what  I  am,  and  the  favor 
he  showed  me  has  not  gone  for  nothing,  but  I  have  worked 
harder  than  any  of  them,  although  it  was  not  really  I  but  the 
favor  God  showed  me.  But  whether  it  was  I  or  they,  this 
is  what  we  preach,  and  this  is  what  you  believed. 

Now  if  what  we  preach  about  Christ  is  that  he  was  raised 
from  the  dead,  how  can  some  of  you  say  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  a  resurrection  of  the  dead  ?  If  there  is  no  resurrec¬ 
tion  of  the  dead,  then  Christ  was  not  raised,  and  if  Christ 
was  not  raised,  there  is  nothing  in  our  message;  there  is  nothing 
in  our  faith  either,  and  we  are  found  guilty  of  misrepresenting 
God,  for  we  have  testified  that  he  raised  Christ,  when  he  did 
not  do  it,  if  it  is  true  that  the  dead  are  never  raised.  For  if 
the  dead  are  never  raised,  Christ  was  not  raised;  and  if  Christ 
was  not  raised,  your  faith  is  a  delusion;  you  are  still  under 
the  control  of  your  sins.  Yes,  and  those  who  have  fallen 
asleep  in  trust  in  Christ  have  perished.  If  we  have  centered 
our  hopes  on  Christ  in  this  life,  and  that  is  all,  we  are  the  most 
pitiable  people  in  the  world. 

But  the  truth  is,  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead,  the  first 
to  be  raised  of  those  who  have  fallen  asleep.  For  since 
it  was  through  a  man  that  we  have  death,  it  is  through 
a  man  also  that  we  have  the  raising  of  the  dead.  For  just  as 
because  of  their  relation  to  Adam  all  men  die,  so  because  of 
their  relation  to  Christ  they  will  all  be  brought  to  life  again. 
But  each  in  his  own  turn;  Christ  first,  and  then  at  Christ’s 
coming  those  who  belong  to  him.  After  that  will  come  the 
end,  when  he  will  turn  over  the  kingdom  to  God  his  Father, 
bringing  to  an  end  all  other  government,  authority,  and  power, 
for  he  must  retain  the  kingdom  until  he  puts  all  his  enemies 
under  his  feet.  The  last  enemy  to  be  overthrown  will  be 
death,  for  everything  is  to  be  reduced  to  subjection  and  put 
under  Christ’s  feet.  But  when  it  says  that  everything  is 
subject  to  him,  he  is  evidently  excepted  who  reduced  it  all 

15:7-27 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  335 


to  subjection  to  him.  And  when  everything  is  reduced  to 
subjection  to  him,  then  the  Son  himself  will  also  become 
subject  to  him  who  has  reduced  everything  to  subjection  to 
him,  so  that  God  may  be  everything  to  everyone. 

Otherwise,  what  do  people  mean  by  having  themselves 
baptized  on  behalf  of  their  dead  ?  If  the  dead  do  not  rise  at 
all,  why  do  they  have  themselves  baptized  on  their  behalf? 
Why  do  we  ourselves  run  such  risks  every  hour  ?  By  the 
very  pride  I  take  in  you,  brothers,  through  our  union  with 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  face  death  every  day.  From  the 
human  point  of  view,  what  good  is  it  to  me  that  I  have  fought 
wild  animals  here  in  Ephesus  ?  If  the  dead  do  not  rise  at  all, 
“Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  we  will  be  dead  tomorrow !”  Do 
not  be  misled.  Bad  company  ruins  character.  Return  to 
your  sober  sense  as  you  ought,  and  stop  sinning,  for  some  of 
you  are  utterly  ignorant  about  God.  To  your  shame  I  say  so. 

But  someone  will  say,  “How  can  the  dead  rise  ?  What 
kind  of  a  body  will  they  have  when  they  come  back  ?”  You 
foolish  man,  the  very  seed  you  sow  never  comes  to  life  without 
dying  first;  and  when  you  sow  it,  it  has  not  the  form  it  is 
going  to  have,  but  is  a  naked  kernel,  perhaps  of  wheat  or 
something  else;  and  God  gives  it  just  such  a  form  as  he 
pleases,  so  that  each  kind  of  seed  has  a  form  of  its  own.  Flesh 
is  not  all  alike;  men  have  one  kind,  animals  another,  birds 
another,  and  fish  another.  There  are  heavenly  bodies,  and 
there  are  earthly  bodies,  but  the  beauty  of  the  heavenly  bodies 
is  of  one  kind,  and  the  beauty  of  the  earthly  bodies  is  of 
another.  The  sun  has  one  kind  of  beauty,  and  the  moon 
another,  and  the  stars  another;  why,  one  star  differs  from 
another  in  beauty.  It  is  so  with  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  The  body  is  sown  in  decay,  it  is  raised  free  from 
decay.  It  is  sown  in  humiliation,  it  is  raised  in  splendor. 
It  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  strength.  It  is  a 
physical  body  that  is  sown,  it  is  a  spiritual  body  that  is  raised. 
If  there  is  a  physical  body,  there  is  a  spiritual  body  also. 
This  is  also  what  the  Scripture  says:  “The  first  man  Adam 
became  a  living  creature.”  The  last  Adam  has  become  a  life- 
giving  Spirit.  It  is  not  the  spiritual  that  comes  first,  but  the 
physical,  and  then  the  spiritual.  The  first  man  is  of  the 

15:28-47 


33^ 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


dust  of  the  earth;  the  second  man  is  from  heaven.  Those 
who  are  of  the  earth  are  like  him  who  was  of  the  earth,  and 
those  who  are  of  heaven  are  like  him  who  is  from  heaven,  and 
as  we  have  been  like  the  man  of  the  earth,  let  us  also  try  to  be 
like  the  man  from  heaven.  But  I  can  tell  you  this,  brothers: 
flesh  and  blood  cannot  share  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and 
decay  will  not  share  in  what  is  imperishable.  I  will  tell  you  a 
secret.  We  shall  not  all  fall  asleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed, 
in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  sound  of  the 
last  trumpet.  For  the  trumpet  will  sound,  and  the  dead  will 
be  raised  free  from  decay,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For  this 
perishable  nature  must  put  on  the  imperishable,  and  this 
mortal  nature  must  put  on  immortality.  And  when  this 
mortal  nature  puts  on  immortality,  then  what  the  Scripture 
says  will  come  true — “Death  has  been  triumphantly 
destroyed.  Where,  Death,  is  your  victory  ?  Where,  Death, 
is  your  sting  ?”  Sin  is  the  sting  of  death,  and  it  is  the  Law 
that  gives  sin  its  power.  But  thank  God!  He  gives  us 
victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  So,  my  dear  brothers, 
be  firm  and  unmoved,  and  always  devote  yourselves  to  the 
Lord’s  work,  for  you  know  that  through  the  Lord  your  labor 
is  not  thrown  away. 

About  the  collection  for  God’s  people,  I  want  you  to  do 
as  I  told  the  churches  of  Galatia  to  do.  "On  the  first  of  every 
week  each  of  you  is  to  put  aside  and  store  up  whatever  he 
gains,  so  that  money  will  not  have  to  be  collected  after  I  come. 
When  I  come  I  will  send  whatever  persons  you  authorize 
with  credentials,  to  carry  your  gift  to  Jerusalem.  And  if  it 
seems  worth  while  for  me  to  go  myself,  they  can  go  with  me. 

I  will  come  to  you  after  passing  through  Macedonia,  for 
I  am  going  through  Macedonia,  and  I  will  probably  stay 
some  time  with  you,  or  even  pass  the  winter,  so  that  you 
may  start  me  off  for  wherever  I  may  be  going.  For  I  do  not 
want  to  see  you  now  just  in  passing,  for  I  hope  to  spend  some 
time  with  you  if  the  Lord  permits  it.  But  I  shall  stay  in 
Ephesus  until  the  Harvest  Festival,  for  I  have  a  great  and 
promising  opportunity  here,  as  well  as  many  opponents. 

If  Timothy  reaches  you,  put  him  at  his  ease  among  you, 
for  he  is  devoted  to  the  Lord’s  work,  just  as  I  am.  So  no 

15:48-16:11 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  337 


one  is  to  slight  him.  But  see  him  off  cordially  when  he  comes 
back  to  me,  for  I  am  expecting  him  with  the  other  brothers. 

As  for  our  brother  Apollos,  I  have  often  urged  him  to  visit 
you  with  the  other  brothers, 'and  he  is  quite  unwilling  to  come 
now,  but  he  will  come  when  he  has  a  good  opportunity. 

Be  on  the  watch.  Stand  firm  in  your  faith.  Act  like 
men.  Show  yourselves  strong.  Do  everything  with  love. 

Now  I  urge  you,  brothers — you  know  that  the  family  of 
Stephanas  was  the  first  to  be  converted  in  Greece,  and  that 
they  have  devoted  themselves  to  the  service  of  God’s  people — ■ 
I  want  you  to  enlist  under  such  leaders,  and  under  anyone  who 
joins  with  ydu  and  works  hard.  And  I  am  glad  that 
Stephanas,  Fortunatus,  and  Achaicus  have  come  here,  for  they 
have  made  up  for  your  absence.  They  have  cheered  my 
heart,  and  yours  too.  You  should  appreciate  such  men. 

The  churches  of  Asia  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you. 
Aquila  and  Prisca,  with  the  congregation  that  meets  at  their 
house,  send  you  their  special  Christian  greetings.  All  the 
brothers  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you.  Greet  one  another 
with  a  sacred  kiss. 

This  farewell  I,  Paul,  add  in  my  own  hand.  A  curse 
upon  anyone  who  has  no  love  for  the  Lord.  Lord,  come 
quickly!  The  blessing  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you! 
My  love  be  with  you  all  through  Christ  Jesus. 


16: 12-24 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


Paul,  by  God’s  will  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus,  and 
Timothy  our  brother,  to  the  church  of  God  that  is  at  Corinth, 
and  all  God’s  people  all  over  Greece;  God  our  Father  and  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and  give  you  peace. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  merciful  Father,  and  the  God  always  ready  to  comfort! 
He  comforts  me  in  all  my  trouble,  so  that  I  can  comfort  people 
who  are  in  any  trouble  with  the  comfort  with  which  I  myself 
am  comforted  by  God.  For  if  I  have  a  liberal  share  of  Christ’s 
sufferings,  through  Christ  I  have  a  liberal  share  of  comfort 
too.  If  I  am  in  trouble,  it  is  to  bring  you  comfort  and 
salvation,  and  if  I  am  comforted,  it  is  for  the  sake  of  the 
comfort  which  you  experience  when  you  steadfastly  endure 
such  sufferings  as  I  also  have  to  bear.  My  hopes  for  you 
are  unshaken.  For  I  know  that  just  as  surely  as  you  share 
my  sufferings,  just  so  surely  you  will  share  my  comfort.  For 
I  do  not  want  you,  brothers,  to  misunderstand  the  distress 
that  I  experienced  in  Asia,  for  I  was  so  utterly  and  unendur- 
ably  crushed,  that  I  actually  despaired  of  life  itself.  Why,  I 
felt  in  my  heart  that  the  end  must  be  death.  That  was  to 
keep  me  from  relying  on  myself  instead  of  on  God,  who  can 
even  raise  the  dead.  So  deadly  was  the  peril  from  which  he 
saved  me,  as  he  will  save  me  again!  It  is  on  him  that  I  have 
set  my  hope  that  he  will  save  me  again.  You  must  help  me 
by  your  prayers,  so  that  many  will  give  thanks  to  God  on 
my  behalf  for  the  blessing  granted  me  in  answer  to  many 
prayers. 

For  my  boast  is  what  my  conscience  tells  me,  that  my 
relations  to  the  world  and  still  more  to  you  have  been  marked 
by  pure  motives  and  godly  sincerity,  not  by  worldly  shrewd¬ 
ness  but  by  the  favor  of  God.  For  what  I  am  writing  to  you 
is  only  what  you  can  read  and  understand,  and  I  hope  that  you 
will  understand  it  fully,  as  some  of  you  have  come  to  under¬ 
stand  me,  and  that  you  will  understand  that  you  have  a  right 

338 


1 : 1-14 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  339 


to  be  proud  of  me,  as  I  have  of  you,  on  the  Day  of  our  Lord 
Jesus. 

It  was  because  I  was  sure  of  this  that  I  wanted  to  come 
to  see  you  before  going  anywhere  else,  to  give  you  a  double 
pleasure;  I  was  going  to  visit  you  on  my  way  to  Macedonia, 
and  then  to  come  back  to  you  from  Macedonia  and  have  you 
see  me  off  for  Judea.  Was  it  vacillating  of  me  to  want  to  do 
that  ?  Do  I  make  my  plans  like  a  worldly  man,  ready  to  say 
“Yes  ”  and  “No  ”  in  the  same  breath  ?  As  surely  as  God  can 
be  relied  on,  there  has  been  no  equivocation  about  our 
message  to  you.  The  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus,  whom  we 
proclaimed  among  you,  Silvanus,  Timothy,  and  I,  you  have 
not  found  wavering  between  “Yes”  and  “No.”  With  him 
it  has  always  been  “Yes,”  for  to  all  the  promises  of  God  he 
supplies  the  “Yes”  that  confirms  them.  That  is  why  we 
utter  the  “Amen  ”  through  him,  when  we  give  glory  to  God. 
But  it  is  God  who  guarantees  us  and  you  to  Christ;  he  has 
anointed  us  and  put  his  seal  upon  us  and  given  us  his  Spirit 
in  our  hearts,  as  earnest-money. 

But  upon  my  soul  I  call  God  to  witness  that  it  is  simply 
to  spare  you  that  I  have  stayed  away  from  Corinth.  Not  that 
we  are  the  masters  of  you  and  your  faith;  we  are  working  with 
you  to  make  you  happy,  for  in  your  faith  you  stand  firm 
enough. 

For  I  made  up  my  mind  not  to  make  you  another  painful 
visit.  For  if  I  hurt  your  feelings,  who  is  there  to  cheer  me  up 
but  the  man  whose  feelings  I  hurt  ?  This  is  what  I  said  in  my 
letter,  so  that  I  might  avoid  coming  and  having  my  feelings 
hurt  by  the  very  people  who  might  have  been  expected  to 
make  me  happy,  for  I  felt  sure  about  you  all,  that  what  made 
me  happy  would  make  you  all  happy.  For  I  was  in  great 
trouble  and  distress  of  mind  when  I  wrote  you,  and  I  shed 
many  tears  as  I  did  it,  yet  it  was  not  to  hurt  your  feelings,  but 
to  make  you  realize  the  extraordinary  affection  I  have  for  you. 

But  if  anyone  has  hurt  anybody’s  feelings,  it  is  not  so 
much  mine,  as  yours,  or  at  least  those  of  some  of  you,  not  to 
be  too  hard  upon  you  all.  For  that  individual,  this  censure 
by  the  majority  of  you  is  punishment  enough,  and  so  you  must 
now  turn  around  and  forgive  and  comfort  him,  or  he  may  be 

1:15-2:7 


340 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


overwhelmed  by  his  remorse.  So  I  beg  you  to  restore  him 
to  his  place  in  your  affections.  For  that  is  why  I  wrote  you — 
to  find  out  how  you  would  stand  the  test,  and  see  if  you  would 
obey  me  absolutely.  When  you  forgive  a  man,  I  forgive 
him  too.  For  anything  I  had  to  forgive  has  been  forgiven 
on  your  account,  and  as  in  the  very  presence  of  Christ,  to  keep 
Satan  from  getting  the  better  of  us.  For  we  know  what 
he  is  after. 

When  I  went  to  Troas  to  preach  the  good  news  of  the 
Christ  there,  I  found  a  good  opening  for  the  Lord’s  work, 
but  my  mind  could  not  rest  because  I  did  not  find  my  brother 
Titus  there.  So  I  said  goodbye  to  them  and  went  on  to 
Macedonia.  But  thank  God!  he  always  leads  me  in  his 
triumphal  train,  through  Christ,  and  spreads  the  perfume  of 
knowledge  of  him  everywhere  through  me  as  his  censer-bearer. 
Yes,  I  am  the  fragrance  of  Christ  to  God,  diffused  among 
those  who  are  being  saved  and  those  who  are  perishing  alike; 
to  the  one,  a  deathly,  deadly  odor,  to  the  other  a  vital,  life- 
giving  one.  Who  is  qualified  for  this  task  ?  I  am !  For 
I  am  no  peddler  of  God’s  message,  like  most  men,  but  like  a 
man  of  sincerity,  commissioned  by  God  and  in  his  presence, 
in  union  with  Christ  I  utter  his  message. 

Am  I  falling  into  self-recommendation  again  ?  Do  I,  like 
some  people,  need  letters  of  recommendation  to  you  or  from 
you  ?  You  are  my  recommendations,  written  on  my  heart, 
for  everybody  to  read  and  understand.  You  show  that  you 
are  a  letter  from  Christ  delivered  by  me,  written  not  in  ink, 
but  in  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God,  and  not  on  tablets  of  stone, 
but  on  the  human  heart. 

Such  is  the  confidence  that  I  have  through  Christ  in  my 
relations  to  God.  Not  that  I  am  of  myself  qualified  to  claim 
anything  as  originating  with  me.  My  qualification  is  from 
God,  and  he  has  qualified  me  to  serve  him  in  the  interests  of 
a  new  agreement,  not  in  writing  but  of  spirit.  For  what  is 
written  kills,  but  the  Spirit  gives  life. 

But  if  the  religion  of  death,  carved  in  letters  of  stone, 
was  ushered  in  with  such  splendor,  so  that  the  Israelites 
could  not  look  at  Moses’  face  on  account  of  the  brightness 
that  was  fading  from  it,  why  should  not  the  religion  of  the 

2 : 8-3 : 8 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  341 


Spirit  be  attended  with  much  greater  splendor  ?  If  there 
was  splendor  in  the  religion  of  condemnation,  the  religion  of 
uprightness  must  far  surpass  it  in  splendor.  For  in  com¬ 
parison  with  its  surpassing  splendor,  what  was  splendid  has 
come  to  have  no  splendor  at  all.  For  if  what  faded  away 
came  with  splendor,  how  much  more  splendid  what  is  perma¬ 
nent  must  be! 

So  since  I  have  such  a  hope,  I  speak  with  great  frankness, 
not  like  Moses,  who  used  to  wear  a  veil  over  his  face,  to  keep 
the  Israelites  from  gazing  at  the  fading  of  the  splendor  from  it. 
Their  minds  were  dulled.  For  to  this  day,  that  same  veil 
remains  unlifted,  when  they  read  the  old  agreement,  for  only 
through  union  with  Christ  is  it  removed.  Why,  to  this  day, 
whenever  Moses  is  read,  a  veil  hangs  over  their  minds,  but 
“whenever  a  man  turns  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  is  removed.” 
Now  the  Lord  here  means  the  Spirit,  and  wherever  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  freedom.  And  all  of  us,  reflecting 
the  splendor  of  the  Lord  in  our  unveiled  faces,  are  being 
changed  into  likeness  to  him,  from  one  degree  of  splendor  to 
another,  for  this  comes  from  the  Lord  who  is  the  Spirit. 

So  since  by  the  mercy  of  God  I  am  engaged  in  this 
service,  I  never  lose  heart.  I  disown  disgraceful,  underhanded 
ways.  I  refuse  to  practice  cunning  or  to  tamper  with  God’s 
message.  It  is  by  the  open  statement  of  the  truth  that  I 
would  commend  myself  to  every  human  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God.  If  the  meaning  of  my  preaching  of  the  good  news 
is  veiled  at  all,  it  is  so  only  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  on 
the  way  to  destruction.  In  their  case,  the  god  of  this  world 
has  blinded  the  minds  of  the  unbelievers,  to  keep  the  light 
of  the  good  news  of  the  glorious  Christ,  the  likeness  of 
God,  from  dawning  upon  them.  For  it  is  not  myself  but 
Christ  Jesus  that  I  am  proclaiming  as  Lord;  I  am  only 
a  slave  of  yours  for  Jesus’  sake.  For  God  who  said,  “Let 
light  shine  out  of  darkness,”  has  shone  in  my  heart,  to  give 
me  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  God’s  glory,  that  is  on  the 
face  of  Christ. 

But  I  have  this  treasure  in  a  mere  earthen  jar,  to  show 
that  its  amazing  power  belongs  to  God  and  not  to  me.  I  am 
hard  pressed  on  every  side,  but  never  cut  off;  perplexed,  but 

319-4:8 


342 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


not  driven  to  despair;  routed,  but  not  abandoned;  struck 
down,  but  not  destroyed;  never  free  from  the  danger  of  being 
put  to  death  like  Jesus,  so  that  in  my  body  the  life  of  Jesus  also 
may  be  seen.  For  every  day  I  live  I  am  being  given  up  to 
death  for  Jesus’  sake,  so  that  the  life  of  Jesus  may  be  visible  in 
my  mortal  nature.  So  it  is  death  that  operates  in  my  case,  but 
life  that  operates  in  yours.  In  the  same  spirit  of  faith  as  his 
who  said,  “I  believed,  and  so  I  spoke,”  I  too  believe,  and  so 
I  speak,  sure  that  he  who  raised  the  Lord  Jesus  from  the 
dead  will  raise  me  also  like  Jesus,  and  bring  me  side  by  side 
with  you  into  his  presence.  For  it  is  all  for  your  benefit,  in 
order  that  as  God’s  favor  reaches  greater  and  greater  numbers, 
it  may  result  in  more  and  more  thanksgiving  in  praise  of  God. 

So  I  never  lose  heart.  Though  my  outer  nature  is 
wasting  away,  my  inner  is  being  renewed  every  day.  For  this 
slight,  momentary  trouble  is  piling  up  for  me  an  eternal 
blessedness  beyond  all  comparison,  because  I  keep  my  eyes 
not  on  what  is  seen  but  what  is  unseen.  For  what  is  seen  is 
transitory,  but  what  is  unseen  is  eternal,  i  For  I  know  that 
if  this  earthly  tent  that  I  live  in  is  taken  down,  God  will 
provide  me  a  building  in  heaven  to  live  in,  not  built  by  human 
hands  but  eternal.  This  makes  me  sigh  with  longing  to  put 
on  my  heavenly  dwelling,  for  if  I  do,  I  shall  never  find  myself 
disembodied.  For  I  who  am  still  in  my  tent  sigh  with  anxiety, 
because  I  do  not  want  to  be  stripped  of  it,  but  to  put  on  the 
other  over  it,  so  that  what  is  only  mortal  may  be  absorbed 
in  life.  It  is  God  himself  who  has  prepared  me  for  this 
change,  and  he  has  given  me  the  Spirit  as  his  guaranty. 

So  I  am  confident.  I  know  well  that  as  long  as  I  am  at 
heme  in  the  body  I  am  away  from  the  Lord  (for  I  have  to  guide 
my  steps  by  faith,  not  by  what  is  seen) — yet  I  am  confident, 
and  I  prefer  to  leave  my  home  in  the  body  and  make  my 
home  with  the  Lord.  So  whether  I  am  at  home  or  away 
from  it,  it  is  my  ambition  to  please  him.  For  we  must  all 
appear  in  our  true  characters  before  the  tribunal  of  the 
Christ,  each  to  be  repaid  with  good  or  evil  for  the  life  he  has 
lived  in  the  body. 

It  is  with  this  knowledge  of  what  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
means  that  I  appeal  to  men.  My  true  character  is  perfectly 

4:9-5:11 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  343 


plain  to  God,  and  I  hope  to  your  consciences  too.  I  am 
not  trying  to  recommend  myself  to  you  again.  I  am  giving 
you  cause  to  be  proud  of  me,  to  use  in  answering  men  who 
pride  themselves  on  external  advantages  and  not  on  sincerity 
of  heart.  For  if  I  was  out  of  my  senses,  as  they  say,  it  was 
between  God  and  me;  and  if  I  am  in  my  right  mind,  it  is  for 
your  good.  It  is  Christ’s  love  that  controls  me,  for  I  have 
become  convinced  that  as  one  has  died  for  all,  all  have  died, 
and  he  died  for  all  that  those  who  live  might  no  longer  live 
for  themselves,  but  for  him  who  died  for  them  and  rose  again. 

So  from  that  time  on,  I  have  estimated  nobody  at  what 
he  seemed  to  be  outwardly;  even  though  I  once  estimated 
Christ  in  that  way,  I  no  longer  do  so.  So  if  anyone  is  in 
union  with  Christ,  he  is  a  new  being;  the  old  state  of  things 
has  passed  away;  there  is  a  new  state  of  things.  All  this 
comes  from  God,  who  through  Christ  has  reconciled  me  to 
himself,  and  has  commissioned  me  to  proclaim  this  recon¬ 
ciliation — how  God  through  Christ  reconciled  the  world  to 
himself,  refusing  to  count  men’s  offenses  against  them,  and 
intrusted  me  with  the  message  of  reconciliation. 

It  is  for  Christ,  therefore,  that  I  am  an  envoy,  seeing  that 
God  makes  his  appeal  through  me.  On  Christ’s  behalf  I  beg 
you  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  He  made  him  who  knew  nothing 
of  sin  to  be  sin,  for  our  sake,  so  that  through  union  with  him 
we  might  become  God’s  uprightness. 

As  God’s  fellow-worker,  I  appeal  to  you,  too,  not  to 
accept  the  favor  of  God  and  then  waste  it.  For  he  says, 

“I  have  listened  to  you  at  a  welcome  time, 

And  helped  you  on  a  day  of  deliverance!” 

Now  the  welcome  time  has  come!  This  is  the  day  of 
deliverance!  I  put  no  obstacle  in  anyone’s  path,  so  that  no 
fault  may  be  found  with  my  work.  On  the  contrary,  as  a 
servant  of  God  I  try  in  every  way  to  commend  myself  to 
them,  through  my  great  endurance  in  troubles,  difficulties, 
hardships,  beatings,  imprisonments,  riots,  labors,  sleepless 
nights,  and  hunger,  through  my  purity  of  life,  my  knowledge, 
my  patience,  my  kindness,  my  holiness  of  spirit,  my  genuine 
love,  the  truth  of  my  teaching,  and  the  power  of  God;  with  the 
weapons  of  uprightness  for  the  right  hand  and  the  left,  in 

5:12-6:8 


344 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


honor  or  dishonor,  in  praise  or  blame;  considered  an  impostor, 
when  I  am  true,  obscure,  when  I  am  well  known,  at  the 
point  of  death,  yet  here  I  am  alive,  punished,  but  not  dead 
yet,  pained,  when  I  am  always  glad,  poor,  when  I  make 
many  others  rich,  penniless,  when  really  I  own  everything. 

I  have  kept  nothing  back  from  you,  men  of  Corinth;  I 
have  opened  my  heart  to  you.  It  is  not  I  that  am  cramping 
you,  it  is  your  own  affections.  To  pay  me  back,  I  tell  you, 
my  children,  you  must  open  your  hearts  too. 

Do  not  get  into  close  and  incongruous  relations  with 
unbelievers.  What  partnership  can  uprightness  have  with 
iniquity,  or  what  can  light  have  to  do  with  darkness  ?  How 
can  Christ  agree  with  Belial  ?  Or  what  has  a  believer  in 
common  with  an  unbeliever  ?  What  bargain  can  a  temple  of 
God  make  with  idols  ?  For  we  are  a  temple  of  the  living  God, 
just  as  God  said, 

“I  will  live  in  them  and  move  among  them, 

And  I  will  be  their  God  and  they  will  be  my  people.” 
Therefore, 

“Come  out  from  them, 

And  separate  from  them,  says  the  Lord, 

And  touch  nothing  that  is  unclean. 

Then  I  will  welcome  you, 

I  will  become  a  father  to  you, 

And  you  shall  become  my  sons  and  daughters, 

Says  the  Lord  Almighty.” 

So  since  we  have  promises  like  these,  dear  friends,  let  us 
cleanse  ourselves  of  everything  that  can  defile  body  or 
spirit,  and  by  reverence  for  God  make  our  consecration 
complete. 

Make  room  for  me  in  your  hearts.  I  have  not  wronged 
or  harmed  or  got  the  better  of  anybody.  I  do  not  mean  this 
as  a  reflection  upon  you,  for  as  I  said  before,  you  will  always 
have  a  place  in  my  heart  whether  I  live  or  die.  I  have  the 
greatest  confidence  in  you.  I  take  the  greatest  pride  in  you. 
I  am  fully  comforted.  After  all  my  trouble,  I  am  overjoyed. 

For  even  when  I  reached  Macedonia,  my  poor  human 
nature  could  get  no  relief — there  was  trouble  at  every  turn; 
fighting  without,  and  fear  within.  But  God,  who  comforts 

6 : 9—7 : 6 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  345 


the  downcast,  conforted  me  by  the  coming  of  Titus,  and  not 
only  by  his  coming,  but  by  the  comfort  you  had  given  him, 
for  he  told  me  how  you  longed  to  see  me,  how  sorry  you  were, 
and  how  you  took  my  part,  which  made  me  happier  still. 
For  even  if  I  did  hurt  your  feelings  with  that  letter,  I  cannot 
regret  it;  even  if  I  did  regret  it,  when  I  saw  that  the  letter 
had  hurt  your  feelings  perhaps  for  a  while,  I  am  glad  of 
it  now;  not  because  you  had  your  feelings  hurt,  but  because 
having  them  hurt  led  you  to  repent,  for  you  took  it  as  God 
meant  you  to  do,  so  that  you  should  not  lose  anything  at  all 
through  me.  For  the  pain  that  God  approves  results  in  a 
repentance  that  leads  to  salvation  and  leaves  no  regrets; 
but  the  world’s  pain  results  in  death.  See  how  earnest  this 
God-given  pain  has  made  you !  how  eager  to  clear  yourselves, 
how  indignant,  how  alarmed,  how  eager  to  see  me,  how 
zealous,  how  avenging !  At  every  point  you  have  proved  that 
you  are  clear  of  this  matter.  So  although  I  did  write  to  you, 
it  was  not  on  account  of  the  offender,  nor  of  the  injured  man, 
but  in  the  sight  of  God  to  reveal  to  you  your  devotion  to  me. 
That  is  why  I  am  so  comforted. 

With  all  my  own  comfort,  I  was  still  more  overjoyed  at 
the  gladness  of  Titus,  for  his  mind  has  been  set  at  rest  by 
you  all.  If  I  did  express  some  pride  in  you  to  him,  I  have 
had  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  it,  but  just  as  all  I  said  to  you 
was  true,  my  boasting  before  Titus  has  also  proved  true. 
His  heart  goes  out  all  the  more  to  you,  as  he  recalls  how  you 
all  obeyed  him,  and  with  what  reverence  and  trembling  you 
received  him.  I  am  glad  that  I  can  feel  perfect  confidence 
in  you. 

I  must  tell  you,  brothers,  how  the  favor  of  God  has 
been  shown  in  the  churches  of  Macedonia,  for  in  spite  of  a 
severe  ordeal  of  trouble,  their  extraordinary  gladness,  com¬ 
bined  with  their  extreme  poverty,  has  overflowed  in  a  wealth 
of  generosity.  For  they  have  given  to  the  utmost  of  their 
ability,  as  I  can  bear  them  witness,  and  beyond  it,  and 
begged  me  most  earnestly,  of  their  own  accord,  to  let  them 
share  in  the  support  of  their  fellow-Christians.  They  did 
far  more  than  I  hoped,  for  first  in  obedience  to  God’s  will, 
they  gave  themselves  to  the  Lord,  and  to  me.  This  has  led 

7:7-816 


346 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


me  to  urge  Titus  to  complete  the  arrangements  he  had 
formerly  begun  among  you  for  this  gracious  undertaking. 
Just  as  you  excel  in  everything  else — faith,  expression, 
knowledge,  perfect  devotion,  and  the  love  we  have  awakened 
in  you — you  must  excel  in  this  generous  undertaking  too. 

I  do  not  mean  this  as  a  command.  I  only  want  to  test  the 
genuineness  of  your  love  by  the  devotion  of  others.  You 
know  how  gracious  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was.  Though  he 
was  rich,  he  became  poor  for  your  sake,  in  order  that  by  his 
poverty  you  might  become  rich.  But  I  will  tell  you  what  I 
think  about  it.  For  this  is  the  best  way  to  deal  with  you, 
for  you  were  the  first  not  only  to  do  anything  about  this,  but 
to  want  to  do  anything,  and  that  was  last  year.  Now  finish 
doing  it,  so  that  your  readiness  to  undertake  it  may  be  equaled 
by  the  way  you  finish  it  up,  as  well  as  your  means  permit. 
If  a  man  is  willing  to  give,  the  value  of  his  gift  is  in  its  propor¬ 
tion  to  what  he  has,  not  to  what  he  has  not.  I  do  not  mean 
to  be  easy  upon  others  and  hard  upon  you,  but  to  equalize 
the  burden,  and  in  the  present  situation  to  have  your  plenty 
make  up  for  what  they  need,  so  that  some  day  their  plenty 
may  make  up  for  what  you  need,  and  so  things  may  be  made 
equal — as  the  Scripture  says,  ‘‘The  man  who  got  much  did 
not  have  too  much,  and  the  man  who  got  little  did  not  have 
too  little. ” 

Thank  God,  he  puts  the  same  devotion  to  you  that  I  feel 
into  Titus’  heart,  for  he  has  responded  to  my  appeal,  but  he 
goes  to  you  really  of  his  own  accord,  he  is  so  devoted  to  you. 
I  am  sending  with  him  his  brother,  who  is  famous  in  all  the 
churches  for  his  work  in  spreading  the  good  news.  What  is 
more,  he  has  been  appointed  by  the  churches  to  travel  with 
me  in  the  interests  of  this  generous  undertaking,  which  I  am 
superintending  to  honor  the  Lord  and  to  show  our  readiness 
to  help.  I  mean  to  have  no  one  able  to  find  any  fault  with 
the  way  I  handle  this  munificence.  I  intend  to  do  what  is 
right  not  only  in  the  Lord’s  sight  but  in  the  eyes  of  men.  I 
send  with  them  another  brother  of  ours  whose  devotion  we 
have  often  tested  in  many  ways,  which  is  now  greater  than 
ever,  because  of  his  perfect  confidence  in  you.  So  as  far  as 
Titus  is  concerned,  he  is  my  partner  and  comrade  in  my  work 

8:7-23 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  347 


for  you,  while  these  brothers  of  ours  represent  the  churches, 
and  are  a  credit  to  Christ.  So  you  must  give  proof  to  them 
before  all  the  churches  of  your  love,  and  justify  my  pride  in 
you. 

It  is  really  unnecessary  for  me  to  write  to  you  about  this 
fund  for  your  fellow-Christians,  for  I  know  how  willing  you  are 
to  help  in  it;  I  boast  of  you  for  it  to  the  people  in  Macedonia, 
telling  them  that  Greece  has  been  ready  since  last  year,  and 
your  enthusiasm  has  been  a  stimulus  to  most  of  them.  But 
I  send  the  brothers  so  that  our  pride  in  you  may  not  have  a 
fall  in  this  matter,  but  you  may  be  all  ready  as  I  have  told 
them  you  will;  for  if  some  people  from  Macedonia  come 
with  me,  and  find  that  you  are  not  ready,  it  will  humiliate 
me — to  say  nothing  of  you — for  having  expressed  such 
confidence.  So  I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  ask  these 
brothers  to  go  on  to  you  ahead  of  me,  to  arrange  in  advance 
for  this  gift  you  have  promised,  so  as  to  have  it  ready,  like 
an  expression  of  your  good-will,  not  of  your  avarice. 

Remember  this:  The  man  who  sows  sparingly  will  reap 
sparingly,  and  the  man  who  sows  generously  will  reap  gener¬ 
ously.  Everyone  must  give  what  he  has  made  up  his  mind 
to  give,  not  reluctantly  or  under  compulsion ;  God  loves  a  man 
who  is  glad  to  give.  God  is  able  to  provide  you  with  every 
blessing  in  abundance  so  that  you  will  always  have  enough 
for  every  situation,  and  ample  means  for  every  good  enter¬ 
prise:  as  the  Scripture  says, 

“He  scatters  his  gifts  to  the  poor; 

His  uprightness  will  never  be  forgotten.” 

He  who  supplies  the  sower  with  seed  and  so  with  bread  to  eat 
will  supply  you  with  seed,  and  multiply  it  and  enlarge  the 
harvest  of  your  uprightness.  Y ou  will  grow  rich  in  every  way, 
so  that  through  me  you  can  show  perfect  liberality  that  will 
make  men  thank  God  for  it.  For  the  rendering  of  this 
service  does  more  than  supply  the  wants  of  God’s  people; 
it  results  in  a  wealth  of  thanksgiving  to  God.  The  way 
you  stand  the  test  of  this  service  must  do  honor  to  God, 
through  your  fidelity  to  what  you  profess  as  to  the  good  news 
of  Christ,  and  through  the  liberality  of  your  contributions 
for  them  and  for  all  others;  then  they  will  long  for  you  and 

8:24-9:14 


348 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


pray  for  you,  because  of  the  extraordinary  favor  God  has 
shown  you.  Thank  God  for  his  indescribable  gift! 

I  appeal  to  you  personally,  by  the  gentleness  and  for¬ 
bearance  of  Christ — the  Paul  who  is  so  humble  when  face  to 
face  with  you,  but  so  bold  in  dealing  with  you  when  he  is  far 
away!  I  beg  you  not  to  make  me  take  as  bold  an  attitude 
when  I  come,  as  I  count  on  taking  toward  some  people  who 
suspect  me  of  acting  from  worldly  motives.  For  though  I 
do  live  an  earthly  life,  I  am  not  carrying  on  an  earthly  war, 
for  the  weapons  I  use  are  not  earthly  ones,  but  divinely  strong 
for  destroying  fortresses.  I  destroy  arguments  and  every 
obstacle  that  is  raised  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
I  take  captive  every  thought  and  make  it  obey  Christ,  and 
am  prepared  to  punish  any  trace  of  disobedience  when  you 
have  made  your  obedience  perfectly  clear.  You  look  at 
things  externally.  If  anyone  is  sure  he  belongs  to  Christ, 
let  him  think  again  and  understand  that  I  belong  to  Christ 
just  as  much  as  he.  For  suppose  I  do  boast  a  little  too 
much  of  my  authority — which  the  Lord  gave  me  to  build  you 
up,  not  to  pull  you  down — I  will  not  have  to  blush  for  it.  I 
do  not  want  to  seem  to  scare  you  with  my  letters.  For 
they  say,  “His  letters  are  impressive  and  telling,  but  his 
personal  appearance  is  insignificant  and  as  a  speaker  he 
amounts  to  nothing.”  Such  people  had  better  understand  that 
when  I  arrive  and  take  action  I  will  do  just  as  I  say  I  will  in 
my  letters  when  I  am  far  away.  I  do  not  indeed  venture  to 
class  or  compare  myself  with  certain  individuals  who  approve 
of  themselves.  But  when  they  measure  themselves  by  one 
another  and  compare  themselves  with  one  another,  they  do 
not  show  good  sense.  But  my  boasting  will  not  be  extrava¬ 
gant,  nor  exceed  the  limits  God  has  allowed  me,  which  reach 
all  the  way  to  you.  It  is  no  strain  for  me  to  do  this,  as  it 
might  be  for  people  who  had  never  got  so  far,  for  I  was  the 
first  to  come  all  the  way  to  you  with  the  good  news  of  the 
Christ.  I  do  not  indulge  in  extravagant  boasts  over  work 
done  by  others,  but  I  do  hope  that  as  your  faith  increases, 
my  influence  may  be  immensely  enlarged  through  you,  and 
I  may  preach  the  gospel  in  the  lands  beyond  you  without 
having  to  boast  over  work  already  done  in  another’s  field. 

9:15-10: 16 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  349 


But  let  the  man  who  boasts,  boast  about  the  Lord.  For  it 
is  not  the  man  who  approves  of  himself  who  is  really  approved; 
it  is  the  man  of  whom  the  Lord  approves. 

I  wish  you  would  put  up  with  a  little  folly  from  me. 
Do  put  up  with  it!  I  feel  a  divine  jealousy  about  you,  for  I 
betrothed  you  to  Christ,  to  present  you  as  a  pure  bride  to  her 
one  husband.  But  I  am  afraid  that  just  as  the  serpent  by  his 
cunning  deceived  Eve,  your  thoughts  will  be  led  astray  from 
their  single-hearted  fidelity  to  Christ.  For  when  somebody 
comes  along  and  preaches  another  Jesus  than  the  one  I 
preached,  or  you  receive  a  different  spirit  from  the  one  you 
received  or  a  different  gospel  from  the  one  you  accepted,  you 
put  up  with  it  well  enough!  For  I  think  that  I  am  not  in  the 
least  inferior  to  these  superfine  apostles  of  yours.  Even  if 
I  have  no  particular  gifts  in  speaking,  I  am  not  wanting  in 
knowledge.  Why,  I  have  always  made  that  perfectly  clear 
in  my  dealings  with  you. 

Do  you  think  that  I  did  wrong  in  degrading  myself  to 
uplift  you,  because  I  preached  God’s  good  news  to  you  without 
any  compensation  ?  I  robbed  other  churches,  letting  them 
pay  me  so  that  I  could  work  for  you!  And  when  I  was  with 
you  and  wanted  money,  I  did  not  burden  any  of  you,  for  when 
the  brothers  came  from  Macedonia  they  supplied  what  I 
needed.  So  I  kept  myself,  as  I  shall  always  do,  from  being  a 
burden  to  you  in  any  way.  By  the  truth  of  Christ  that  is 
in  me,  this  boast  of  mine  shall  not  be  silenced  anywhere  in 
Greece.  And  why  ?  Because  I  do  not  love  you  ?  God 
knows  I  do. 

And  I  shall  go  on  doing  as  I  do,  so  as  to  cut  the  ground 
from  under  those  who  want  to  make  out  that  in  their  boasted 
apostleship  they  work  on  the  same  terms  that  I  do.  Such 
men  are  sham  apostles,  dishonest  workmen,  masquerading  as 
apostles  of  Christ.  And  no  wonder,  for  even  Satan  himself 
masquerades  as  a  shining  angel.  So  it  is  nothing  strange 
if  his  servants  also  masquerade  as  servants  of  uprightness. 
But  their  doom  will  fit  their  actions. 

I  repeat,  no  one  should  think  me  a  fool,  but  if  you  do, 
show  me  at  least  the  patience  you  would  show  a  fool,  and  let 
me  have  my  little  boast  like  the  others.  When  I  boast  in  this 

10:17-11:17 


35° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


reckless  way,  I  do  not  say  what  I  am  saying  for  the  Lord, 
but  as  a  fool  would  talk.  Since  many  are  so  human  as  to 
boast,  I  will  do  it  also.  For  you  like  to  put  up  with  fools, 
you  are  so  wise  yourselves!  For  you  put  up  with  it  if  a  man 
makes  you  his  slaves,  or  lives  on  you,  or  takes  you  in,  or  puts 
on  airs,  or  gives  you  a  slap  in  the  face.  To  my  shame  I  must 
admit  that  I  was  too  weak  for  that  sort  of  thing.  But  what¬ 
ever  anyone  else  dares  to  boast  of — I  am  playing  the  part  of 
a  fool — I  will  dare  to  boast  of  too.  If  they  are  Hebrews,  so 
am  I !  If  they  are  Israelites,  so  am  I !  If  they  are  descended 
from  Abraham,  so  am  I !  If  they  are  Christian  workers — I  am 
talking  like  a  madman! — I  am  a  better  one!  with  far  greater 
labors,  far  more  imprisonments,  vastly  worse  beatings,  and  in 
frequent  danger  of  death.  Five  times  I  have  been  given  one 
less  than  forty  lashes,  by  the  Jews.  I  have  been  beaten  three 
times  by  the  Romans,  I  have  been  stoned  once,  I  have  been 
shipwrecked  three  times,  a  night  and  a  day  I  have  been 
adrift  at  sea;  with  my  frequent  journeys,  in  danger  from 
rivers,  danger  from  robbers,  danger  from  my  own  people, 
danger  from  the  heathen,  danger  in  the  city,  danger  in  the 
desert,  danger  at  sea,  danger  from  false  brothers,  through 
toil  and  hardship,  through  many  a  sleepless  night,  through 
hunger  and  thirst,  often  without  food,  and  exposed  to  cold. 
And  besides  everything  else,  the  thing  that  burdens  me  every 
day  is  my  anxiety  about  all  the  churches.  Who  is  weak 
without  my  being  weak  ?  Whose  conscience  is  hurt  without 
my  being  fired  with  indignation  ?  If  there  must  be  boasting, 
I  will  boast  of  the  things  that  show  my  weakness!  The 
God  and  Father  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  who  is  forever 
blessed,  knows  that  I  am  telling  the  truth.  When  I  was  at 
Damascus,  the  governor  under  King  Aretas  had  the  city  gates 
watched  in  order  to  catch  me,  but  I  was  lowered  in  a  basket 
from  an  opening  in  the  wall,  and  got  out  of  his  clutches. 

I  have  to  boast.  There  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  it, 
but  I  will  go  on  to  visions  and  revelations  given  me  by  the 
Lord.  I  know  of  a  man  fourteen  years  ago — whether  in  the 
body  or  out  of  it,  I  do  not  know,  God  knows — being  actually 
caught  up  to  the  third  heaven.  And  I  know  that  this  man — 
I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  in  the  body  or  out  of  it,  God 

11:18-12:3 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  351 


knows — was  caught  up  into  Paradise,  and  heard  things  that 
must  not  be  told,  which  no  human  being  can  repeat.  On  this 
man’s  account  I  am  ready  to  boast,  but  about  myself  I  will 
boast  only  of  my  weaknesses.  Though  if  I  do  choose  to  boast, 
I  will  not  be  such  a  fool,  for  I  will  only  be  telling  the  truth. 
But  I  will  refrain  from  it,  for  I  do  not  want  anyone  to  be 
influenced  by  the  wonderful  character  of  these  revelations 
to  think  more  of  me  than  is  justified  by  my  words  or  conduct. 
So  to  keep  me  from  being  too  much  elated  a  bitter  physical 
affliction  was  sent  to  me,  a  very  messenger  of  Satan,  to  harass 
me,  to  keep  me  from  being  too  much  elated.  Three  times 
I  have  prayed  to  the  Lord  about  this,  begging  that  it  might 
leave  me,  and  he  said  to  me,  “My  favor  is  enough  for  you, 
for  only  where  there  is  weakness  is  perfect  strength 
developed.” 

So  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  boast  of  all  my  weakness,  so 
that  the  strength  of  Christ  may  shelter  me.  That  is  why 
I  am  pleased  with  weaknesses,  insults,  hardships,  persecutions, 
and  difficulties,  when  they  are  endured  for  Christ’s  sake,  for 
it  is  when  I  am  weak  that  I  am  strong. 

I  have  been  making  a  fool  of  myself,  but  you  forced  me 
to  do  it,  when  you  ought  to  have  been  expressing  your 
approval  of  me.  For  I  am  not  a  bit  inferior  to  your  superfine 
apostles,  even  if  I  am  nobody!  The  signs  that  mark  a  true 
apostle  were  most  patiently  shown  when  I  was  among  you, 
in  signs,  wonders,  and  marvels.  For  what  is  there  in  which 
the  other  churches  had  the  better  of  you,  except  in  the  fact 
that  I  would  not  permit  myself  to  be  a  burden  to  you  ? 
You  must  forgive  me  that  wrong! 

Here  it  is  the  third  time  that  I  have  been  ready  to  come  to 
see  you,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  be  a  burden  to  you  now;  for  it 
is  not  your  money  but  yourselves  that  I  want;  for  children 
are  not  expected  to  lay  up  money  for  their  parents,  but  parents 
for  their  children.  And  I  will  be  glad  to  spend  all  I  have  and 
all  I  am  for  your  sake.  Are  you  going  to  love  me  the  less  for 
loving  you  so  intensely  ?  But  granting  that  I  did  not  burden 
you  myself,  I  was  clever  about  it,  you  say,  and  took  you  in 
by  a  trick.  Yet  did  I  make  anything  out  of  you  by  anybody 
that  I  sent  to  you  ?  I  asked  Titus  to  go  and  I  sent  his  brother 

12:4-18 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


352 

with  him.  Did  Titus  make  anything  out  of  you  ?  Did  not 
he  and  I  act  in  the  same  spirit,  and  take  the  very  same 
steps  ? 

Have  you  been  supposing  all  along  that  it  is  before  you 
I  have  been  defending  myself  ?  It  is  in  the  sight  of  God  and 
as  a  follower  of  Christ  that  I  have  been  speaking.  But  it  is  all 
to  do  you  good,  dear  friends,  for  I  am  afraid  that  perhaps 
when  I  come  I  may  find  you  not  as  I  want  to  find  you,  and  that 
you  may  find  me  not  as  you  want  to  find  me.  I  am  afraid 
that  perhaps  there  may  be  quarreling,  jealousy,  bad  feeling, 
rivalry,  slander,  gossip,  conceit,  and  disorder,  and  that  when  I 
come  back  my  God  may  humiliate  me  before  you,  and  I  may 
have  to  mourn  over  many  who  have  kept  on  in  their  old  sins 
and  have  never  repented  of  the  impurity,  immorality,  and 
sensuality  in  which  they  have  indulged. 

This  will  be  my  third  visit  to  you.  Any  charge  must  be 
sustained  by  the  evidence  of  two  or  three  witnesses.  Those 
who  have  kept  on  in  their  old  sins  and  all  the  rest  I  have 
warned,  and  1  warn  them  now  while  I  am  still  away,  as  I  did 
on  my  second  visit,  that  if  I  come  back  I  will  spare  nobody — 
since  you  demand  proof  that  Christ  really  speaks  through  me. 
He  is  not  weak  in  dealing  with  you.  On  the  contrary,  right 
among  you  he  exhibits  his  power.  Even  if  he  was  crucified 
through  weakness,  by  the  power  of  God  he  is  alive.  For  we 
are  weak  as  he  was,  but  you  will  find  that  by  the  power  of 
God  we  will  be  alive  as  he  is.  It  is  yourselves  you  must  test, 
to  see  whether  you  are  holding  to  the  faith.  It  is  yourselves 
you  must  examine.  Do  you  not  know  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
within  you  ?  Unless  you  fail  to  stand  the  test!  I  hope  you 
will  see  that  I  do  not  fail  to  stand  it.  But  I  pray  to  God 
that  you  may  not  do  wrong — not  to  prove  me  equal  to  the 
test,  but  that  you  should  do  right  even  if  I  fail  to  stand  it. 
For  I  cannot  do  anything  against  the  truth,  but  only  for  it. 
I  am  glad  to  be  weak,  if  you  are  strong!  That  is  what  I  pray 
for — the  perfecting  of  your  characters.  That  is  why  I  write 
this  while  I  am  away  from  you,  so  that  when  I  come,  I  may 
not  have  to  be  harsh  in  my  use  of  the  authority  the  Lord  has 
given  me,  for  it  was  to  build  you  up,  not  to  pull  you 
down. 


12:19-13:10 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS  353 


Now  brothers,  goodbye!  Be  what  you  ought  to  be,  listen 
to  my  appeal,  agree  with  one  another,  live  in  peace,  and  God 
the  source  of  love  and  peace  will  be  with  you.  Greet  one 
another  with  a  sacred  kiss.  All  God’s  people  wish  to  be 
remembered  to  you. 

The  blessing  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  love  of  God 
and  the  participation  in  the  holy  Spirit  be  with  you  all. 


13:11-14 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  GALATIANS 


Paul,  an  apostle  not  from  men  nor  sent  by  any  man,  but  by 
Jesus  Christ  and  God  the  Father  who  raised  him  from  the  dead 
— and  all  the  brothers  who  are  here  with  me,  to  the  churches 
of  Galatia;  blessing  and  peace  to  you  from  God  our  Father 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  to  save  us  from  the  present 
wicked  world  gave  himself  for  our  sins  at  the  will  of  our  God 
and  Father.  To  him  be  glory  forever  and  ever!  Amen. 

I  am  amazed  that  you  are  so  quickly  turning  away  from 
him  who  called  you  by  the  mercy  of  Christ,  to  some  different 
good  news — not  that  there  is  any  other,  only  that  there  are 
some  people  who  are  trying  to  unsettle  you  and  want  to  turn 
the  good  news  of  the  Christ  around.  But  even  if  we  or  an 
angel  from  heaven  preach  to  you  good  news  that  contradicts 
the  good  news  we  have  preached  to  you,  a  curse  upon  him! 
We  have  said  it  before,  and  I  repeat  it  now — if  anyone  is 
preaching  to  you  good  news  that  contradicts  the  good  news 
you  have  already  received,  a  curse  upon  him ! 

Is  that  appealing  to  men’s  weaknesses,  or  to  God  ?  Is 
that  trying  to  suit  men  ?  If  I  were  still  doing  that,  I  would 
be  no  slave  of  Christ.  For  I  tell  you  plainly,  brothers,  that 
the  good  news  that  I  preached  is  not  a  human  affair.  I  did  not 
receive  it  from  any  man,  and  I  was  not  taught  it,  but  it  came 
to  me  through  a  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

You  have  heard  of  my  former  conduct  when  I  was 
attached  to  the  Jewish  religion — how  furiously  I  used  to 
persecute  the  church  of  God  and  ravage  it,  and  how  I  surpassed 
many  of  my  ov/n  age  among  my  people  in  my  devotion  to 
Judaism,  I  was  so  fanatically  devoted  to  what  my  forefathers 
had  handed  down.  And  when  God,  who  had  set  me  apart 
from  my  birth  and  had  called  me  in  his  mercy,  saw  fit  to  reveal 
his  Son  to  me,  so  that  I  might  preach  the  good  news  about  him 
to  the  heathen,  immediately,  instead  of  consulting  with  any 
human  being,  or  going  up  to  Jerusalem  to  see  those  who  had 
been  apostles  before  me,  I  went  off  to  Arabia,  and  on  my 


1:1-17 


354 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  GALATIANS 


355 


return  came  back  to  Damascus.  Then  three  years  later  I  went 
up  to  Jerusalem,  to  become  acquainted  with  Cephas,  and  I 
spent  two  weeks  with  him;  but  I  did  not  see  any  other 
apostle,  except  James,  the  Lord’s  brother.  (In  writing  you 
this,  I  call  God  to  witness  that  I  am  telling  the  truth!) 
After  that,  I  went  to  the  districts  of  Syria  and  Cilicia.  I  was 
still  personally  unknown  to  the  Christian  churches  of  Judea; 
they  only  heard  people  say,  “The  man  who  once  persecuted 
us  is  now  preaching  the  good  news  of  the  faith  he  tried  to 
destroy,’’  and  they  praised  God  for  me.  Then,  fourteen 
years  later,  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  again,  with  Barnabas,  and 
took  Titus  also  with  me.  It  was  in  obedience  to  a  revelation 
that  I  went.  I  laid  before  them  the  good  news  that  I  preach 
to  the  heathen,  presenting  it  privately  to  the  leaders,  for  fear 
my  efforts  might  be  or  might  have  been  futile.  But  they 
did  not  insist  that  even  my  companion  Titus,  although  he  was 
a  Greek,  should  be  circumcised,  to  gratify  the  false  brothers 
who  had  been  smuggled  in,  who  sneaked  in  to  spy  upon  the 
freedom  we  enjoy  in  Christ  Jesus,  so  as  to  reduce  us  to  slavery 
again.  But  we  did  not  submit  to  them  for  a  moment,  in  order 
that  the  truth  of  the  good  news  might  remain  yours.  Those 
who  were  regarded  as  the  leaders — what  they  once  were  makes 
no  difference  to  me;  God  takes  no  account  of  external  differ¬ 
ences — the  leaders  contributed  nothing  new  to  me.  On  the 
contrary,  when  they  saw  that  I  had  been  intrusted  with  the 
good  news  for  the  heathen,  just  as  Peter  had  been  intrusted 
with  it  for  the  Jews — for  he  who  actuated  Peter  to  be  an 
apostle  to  the  Jews  also  actuated  me  to  be  one  to  the  heathen 
— and  when  they  recognized  the  favor  God  had  shown  me, 
James,  Cephas,  and  John,  who  were  regarded  as  pillars  of  the 
church,  pledged  Barnabas  and  me  their  co-operation,  with  the 
understanding  that  we  should  work  among  the  heathen  and 
they  among  the  Jews.  Only,  we  were  to  remember  the  poor, 
and  that  I  have  taken  pains  to  do.  But  when  Cephas  came  to 
Antioch,  I  opposed  him  to  his  face,  for  his  own  conduct  con¬ 
demned  him.  For  until  some  people  came  from  James,  he  used 
to  eat  with  the  heathen,  but  after  they  came,  he  began  to  draw 
back  and  hold  aloof,  for  fear  of  the  party  of  circumcision. 
The  other  Jewish  Christians  followed  his  example  in  concealing 

i 118-2:13 


356 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


their  real  views,  so  that  even  Barnabas  was  carried  away  by 
their  pose.  But  when  I  saw  that  they  were  not  straightfor¬ 
ward  about  the  truth  of  the  good  news,  I  said  to  Cephas,  right 
before  them  all,  “  If  you  live  like  a  heathen  and  not  like  a  Jew, 
though  you  are  a  Jew  yourself,  why  should  you  try  to  make 
the  heathen  live  like  Jews  ?” 

We  who  are  Jews  by  birth,  and  not  sinful  heathen, 
but  who  know  that  a  man  is  not  made  upright  by  doing  what 
the  Law  commands,  but  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus — even  we 
believed  in  Christ  Jesus,  so  as  to  be  made  upright  by  faith  in 
Christ  and  not  by  doing  what  the  Law  commands — for  by 
doing  what  the  Law  commands  no  one  can  be  made  upright. 
If  through  our  efforts  to  be  made  upright  through  Christ,  we 
have  ourselves  been  proved  as  much  “sinners  ”  as  the  heathen, 
does  that  make  Christ  encourage  sin  ?  By  no  means.  I 
really  convict  myself  of  wrongdoing  when  I  start  to  rebuild 
what  I  tore  down.  For  it  is  through  the  Law  that  I  have 
become  dead  to  the  Law,  so  that  I  may  live  for  God.  I  have 
been  crucified  with  Christ,  and  it  is  no  longer  I  that  live,  but 
Christ  that  lives  in  me.  The  life  I  am  now  living  in  the  body 
I  am  living  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  who  loved  me  and  gave 
himself  for  me.  I  refuse  to  nullify  the  mercy  of  God.  For  if 
uprightness  could  be  secured  through  law,  then  Christ  died 
for  nothing! 

You  senseless  Galatians!  Who  has  bewitched  you,  when 
you  had  Jesus  Christ  shown  crucified  right  before  your  eyes  ? 
This  is  all  I  want  to  ask  you:  Did  you  receive  the  Spirit 
through  doing  what  the  Law  commands,  or  through  believing 
the  message  you  heard  ?  Are  you  so  senseless  ?  Did  you 
begin  with  the  Spirit  only  to  end  now  with  the  flesh  ?  Have 
you  gone  through  so  much,  all  for  nothing  ? — if  it  really  is  for 
nothing!  When  he  supplies  you  with  the  Spirit  and  works 
wonders  among  you,  is  it  because  you  do  what  the  Law 
commands,  or  because  you  believe  the  message  you  heard  ? 
Just  as  Abraham  had  faith  in  God  and  it  was  credited  to 
him  as  uprightness. 

So  you  see,  the  real  descendants  of  Abraham  are  the  men 
of  faith.  The  Scripture  foresaw  that  God  would  accept  the 
heathen  as  upright  in  consequence  of  their  faith,  and  preached 

2:14-3:8 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  GALATIANS 


357 


the  good  news  in  advance  to  Abraham  in  the  words,  “All 
the  heathen  will  be  blessed  through  you.”  So  the  men  of 
faith  share  the  blessing  of  Abraham  and  his  faith. 

For  there  is  a  curse  upon  all  who  rely  on  obedience  to  the 
Law,  for  the  Scripture  says,  “Cursed  be  anyone  who  does 
not  stand  by  everything  that  is  written  in  the  Book  of  the  Law 
and  obey  it.”  That  no  one  is  accepted  as  upright  by  God 
for  obeying  the  Law  is  evident  because  the  upright  will  have 
life  because  of  his  faith,  and  the  Law  has  nothing  to  do  with 
faith;  it  teaches  that  it  is  the  man  who  does  these  things 
that  will  find  life  by  doing  theip.  Christ  ransomed  us  from 
the  Law’s  curse  by  taking  our  curse  upon  himself  (for  the 
Scripture  says,  “Cursed  be  anyone  who  is  hung  on  a  tree”) 
in  order  that  the  blessing  given  to  Abraham  might  through 
Jesus  Christ  reach  the  heathen,  so  that  through  faith  we  might 
receive  the  promised  Spirit. 

To  take  an  illustration,  brothers,  from  daily  life:  even  a 
human  agreement,  once  ratified,  no  one  annuls  or  alters. 
Now  the  promises  were  made  to  Abraham  and  his  line.  It 
does  not  say,  “and  to  your  lines,”  in  the  plural,  but  in  the 
singular,  “and  to  your  line,”  that  is,  Christ.  My  point  is 
this:  An  agreement  already  ratified  by  God  cannot  be 
annuled  and  its  promise  canceled  by  the  Law,  which  arose 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years  later.  If  our  inheritance  rests 
on  the  Law,  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  promise.  Yet  it 
was  as  a  promise  that  God  bestowed  it  upon  Abraham. 

Then  what  about  the  Law  ?  It  was  a  later  addition, 
designed  to  produce  transgressions,  until  the  descendant  to 
which  the  promise  was  made  should  come,  and  it  was  enacted 
by  means  of* angels,  through  an  intermediary;  though  an 
intermediary  implies  more  than  one  party,  while  God  is  but 
one.  Is  the  Law  then  contrary  to  God’s  promises  ?  By  no 
means.  For  if  a  law  had  been  given  that  could  have  brought 
life,  uprightness  would  really  have  come  through  law.  But 
the  Scripture  describes  all  mankind  as  the  prisoners  of  sin, 
so  that  the  promised  blessing  might  on  the  ground  of  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  be  given  to  those  who  have  faith. 

But  before  this  faith  came,  we  were  kept  shut  up  under 
the  Law,  in  order  to  obtain  the  faith  that  was  to  be  revealed. 


3:9-23 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


358 

So  the  Law  has  been  our  attendant  on  our  way  to  Christ,  so 
that  we  might  be  made  upright  through  faith.  But  now  that 
faith  has  come,  we  are  no  longer  in  the  charge  of  the  attendant. 

For  in  Christ  Jesus  you  are  all  sons  of  God  through  your 
faith.  For  all  of  you  who  have  been  baptized  into  union 
with  Christ  have  clothed  yourselves  with  Christ.  There  is  no 
room  for  “Jew”  and  “Greek”;  there  is  no  room  for  “slave” 
and  “freeman  ”;  there  is  no  room  for  “male  ”  and  “female  ”; 
for  in  union  with  Christ  Jesus  you  are  all  one.  And  if  you 
belong  to  Christ,  then  you  are  true  descendants  of  Abraham 
and  his  heirs  under  the  promise. 

I  mean  this:  As  long  as  the  heir  is  a  minor,  he  is  no 
better  than  a  slave,  although  he  is  the  owner  of  all  the 
property,  but  he  is  under  guardians  and  trustees  until  the  time 
fixed  by  his  father.  So  when  we  were  minors,  we  were  slaves 
to  material  ways  of  looking  at  things,  but  when  the  proper 
time  came,  God  sent  his  Son,  born  of  a  woman,  and  made 
subject  to  law,  to  ransom  those  who  were  subject  to  law,  so 
that  we  might  receive  adoption. 

And  because  you  are  sons,  God  has  sent  into  our  hearts 
the  spirit  of  his  Son,  with  the  cry,  “Abba!”  that  is,  Father. 
So  you  are  no  longer  a  slave,  but  a  son;  and  if  a  son,  then  an 
heir,  made  so  by  God. 

But  formerly,  in  your  ignorance  of  God,  you  were  slaves 
to  gods  that  really  did  not  exist,  but  now  that  you  know 
God,  or  rather  have  come  to  be  known  by  him,  how  can  you 
turn  back  to  the  old,  crude  notions,  so  poor  and  weak,  and 
wish  to  become  slaves  to  them  again  ?  You  are  observing 
days,  months,  seasons,  and  years!  I  begin  to  be  afraid  that 
perhaps  the  labor  I  spent  on  you  was  wasted. 

Take  my  position,  I  beg  you,  brothers,  just  as  I  once  took 
yours !  Y ou  took  no  advantage  of  me  then ;  though  you  know 
that  it  was  because  of  an  illness  that  I  preached  the  good  news 
to  you  that  first  time;  and  yet  what  must  have  tried  you  in 
my  physical  condition,  you  did  not  scorn  and  despise,  but 
you  welcomed  me  like  an  angel  of  God,  like  Christ  Jesus 
himself.  What  has  become  of  that  satisfaction  of  yours  ? 
For  I  can  bear  witness  that  you  would  have  torn  out  your 
very  eyes,  if  you  could,  and  given  them  to  me !  Have  I  turned 

3:24-4:16 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  GALATIANS 


359 


into  an  enemy  to  you,  by  telling  you  the  truth  ?  These  men 
are  making  much  of  you,  but  not  with  honorable  intentions. 
They  want  to  shut  you  out,  so  that  you  will  have  to  make 
much  of  them.  But  it  is  a  finer  thing  to  be  made  much  of 
honestly  and  constantly — not  just  when  I  can  be  with  you, 
my  children — you  for  whom  I  am  enduring  a  mother’s  pains 
again,  until  Christ  is  formed  in  you.  I  wish  I  could  be  with 
you  now,  and  use  a  different  tone  with  you,  for  I  do  not  know 
which  way  to  turn  about  you. 

Tell  me  this,  you  who  want  to  be  subject  to  law:  Will 
you  not  listen  to  the  Law  ?  For  the  Scripture  says  that 
Abraham  had  two  sons,  one  by  the  slave-girl,  and  one  by  the 
free  woman.  But  the  child  of  the  slave-girl  was  born  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature,  while  the  child  of  the  free  woman 
was  born  in  fulfilment  of  the  promise.  This  is  an  allegorical 
utterance.  For  the  women  are  two  agreements,  one  coming 
from  Mount  Sinai,  bearing  children  that  are  to  be  slaves; 
that  is,  Hagar  (and  Hagar  means  Mount  Sinai,  in  Arabia), 
and  corresponds  to  the  present  Jerusalem,  for  Jerusalem  is  in 
slavery  with  her  children.  But  the  Jerusalem  above  is 
free,  and  she  is  our  mother.  For  the  Scripture  says, 
“Rejoice,  childless  woman,  who  bear  no  children, 

Break  into  shouting,  you  who  have  no  birthpains! 

For  the  desolate  woman  has  more  children  than  the  married 

1” 

one! 

Now  we,  brothers,  are  like  Isaac,  children  born  in  fulfil¬ 
ment  of  the  promise.  But  just  as  then  the  child  born  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature  persecuted  the  one  born  through  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit,  so  it  is  today.  Yet  what  does  the 
Scripture  say?  “Drive  the  slave-girl  and  her  son  away, 
for  the  slave-girl’s  son  shall  not  share  the  inheritance  with  the 
son  of  the  free  woman.”  So,  brothers,  we  are  children  not  of 
a  slave  but  of  one  who  is  free. 

This  is  the  freedom  with  which  Christ  has  freed  us.  So 
stand  firm  in  it,  and  do  not  get  under  a  yoke  of  slavery  again. 

Why,  I,  Paul,  tell  you  that  if  you  let  yourselves  be 
circumcised,  Christ  can  do  nothing  for  you.  I  insist  again 
to  any  man  who  lets  himself  be  circumcised,  that  he  is  under 
obligation  to  obey  the  whole  Law.  You  people  who  propose 

4:i;r5:4 


3  6° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


to  be  made  upright  by  law  have  finished  with  Christ;  you 
have  lost  your  hold  upon  God’s  favor.  But  we,  by  the 
Spirit,  through  faith  wait  for  the  uprightness  we  hope  for.  For 
in  union  with  Christ  Jesus,  neither  circumcision  nor  the  want 
of  it  counts  for  anything,  but  only  faith  acting  through  love. 

You  were  making  such  progress!  Who  has  stopped  your 
obeying  the  truth  ?  That  kind  of  persuasion  never  came 
from  him  who  called  you!  A  little  yeast  will  make  all  the 
dough  rise.  I  am  confident  in  the  Lord  that  you  will  not  take 
a  different  view.  The  man  who  is  unsettling  you  will  have 
to  pay  the  penalty  for  it,  no  matter  who  he  is.  And  I, 
brothers,  if  I  am  still  preaching  circumcision,  why  am  I  still 
being  persecuted  ?  If  that  is  the  case,  the  cross  has  ceased 
to  be  an  obstacle,  I  suppose!  I  wish  the  people  who  are 
upsetting  you  would  go  on,  and  have  themselves  emasculated ! 

For  you,  brothers,  have  been  called  to  freedom;  only  do 
not  make  your  freedom  an  excuse  for  the  physical,  but  in  love 
be  slaves  to  one  another.  For  the  whole  Law  is  summed  up 
in  one  saying:  “You  must  love  your  neighbor  as  you  do 
yourself.”  But  if  you  bite  one  another  and  eat  one  another, 
take  care,  or  you  will  be  destroyed  by  one  another. 

I  mean  this:  Live  by  the  Spirit,  and  then  you  will  not 
indulge  your  physical  cravings.  For  the  physical  cravings 
are  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  cravings  of  the  Spirit  are  against 
the  physical;  the  two  are  in  opposition,  so  that  you  cannot 
do  anything  you  please.  But  if  you  are  guided  by  the 
Spirit,  you  are  not  subject  to  law.  The  things  our  physical 
nature  does  are  clear  enough — immorality,  impurity,  licen¬ 
tiousness,  idolatry,  sorcery,  enmity,  quarreling,  jealousy, 
anger,  selfishness,  dissension,  party-spirit,  envy,  drunkenness, 
carousing,  and  the  like.  I  warn  you  as  I  did  before  that 
people  who  do  such  things  will  have  no  share  in  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  But  what  the  Spirit  produces  is  love,  joy,  peace, 
patience,  kindness,  goodness,  faithfulness,  gentleness,  self- 
control.  There  is  no  law  against  such  things!  Those  who 
belong  to  Jesus  the  Christ  have  crucified  the  physical  nature 
with  its  propensities  and  cravings. 

If  we  live  by  the  Spirit,  let  us  be  guided  by  the  Spirit. 
Let  us  not  in  our  vanity  challenge  one  another  or  envy  one 

5-5“26 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  GALATIANS  361 


another.  But  if  a  man  is  caught  doing  something  wrong, 
brothers,  you  are  spiritual,  and  you  must  set  him  right,  in  a 
spirit  of  gentleness.  Think  of  yourself,  for  you  may  be 
tempted  too.  Bear  one  another’s  burdens,  and  in  that  way 
carry  out  the  law  of  the  Christ.  For  if  anyone  thinks  he  is 
somebody  when  he  is  really  nobody,  he  is  deceiving  himself. 
Every  man  ought  to  test  his  own  work,  and  then  whatever 
satisfaction  he  has  will  be  with  reference  to  himself,  and  not  in 
comparison  with  someone  else.  For  everyone  will  have  to 
carry  his  own  load. 

Those  who  are  taught  the  message  must  share  all  their 
goods  with  their  teacher.  Do  not  be  deceived.  God  is  not 
to  be  sneered  at.  A  man  will  reap  just  what  he  sows.  The 
man  who  sows  to  gratify  his  physical  cravings  will  reap 
destruction  from  them,  and  the  man  who  sows  to  benefit  the 
spirit  will  reap  eternal  life  from  the  Spirit.  Let  us  not  get 
tired  of  doing  right,  for  at  the  proper  time  we  shall  reap,  if  we 
do  not  give  out.  So  then  whenever  we  have  an  opportunity, 
let  us  do  good  to  all  men,  especially  to  those  who  belong  to  the 
family  of  the  faith. 

See  what  large  letters  I  make,  when  I  write  to  you  with 
my  own  hand !  These  men  who  are  trying  to  force  you  to  let 
yourselves  be  circumcised  want  to  present  a  good  appearance 
externally,  to  save  themselves  from  having  to  stand  persecu¬ 
tion  for  the  cross  of  Jesus  the  Christ.  Why,  even  those  who 
let  themselves  be  circumcised  do  not  observe  the  Law  them¬ 
selves!  But  they  want  you  to  let  yourselves  be  circumcised 
so  that  they  can  boast  of  that  physical  fact  about  you!  But 
I  never  want  to  boast  of  anything  but  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  on  which  the  world  has  been  crucified  to  me 
and  I  have  been  to  the  world.  For  neither  circumcision  nor 
the  want  of  it  is  of  any  importance,  but  only  a  new  creation. 
Peace  and  mercy  be  on  all  who  will  follow  this  rule,  and  on  the 
true  Israel  of  God. 

Let  nobody  interfere  with  me  after  this,  for  I  bear  on 
my  body  the  scars  that  mark  me  as  a  slave  of  Jesus. 

The  blessing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
spirit,  brothers.  Amen. 


6: 1— 18 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  EPHESIANS 


Paul,  by  God’s  will  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  God’s 
people  who  are  steadfast  in  Christ  Jesus;  God  our  Father 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and  give  you  peace. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  through  Christ  has  blessed  us  with  every  spiritual  blessing 
in  the  heavenly  realm.  Through  him  he  chose  us  out  before 
the  creation  of  the  world,  to  be  consecrated  and  above  reproach 
in  his  sight  in  love.  He  foreordained  us  to  become  his  sons 
through  Jesus  Christ,  in  fulfilment  of  his  generous  purpose, 
so  that  we  might  praise  the  splendid  blessing  which  he  has 
given  us  through  his  beloved  Son.  It  is  through  union  with 
him  and  through  his  blood  that  we  have  been  delivered  and  our 
offenses  forgiven,  in  the  abundance  of  his  mercy  which  he 
has  lavished  upon  us.  He  has  given  us  perfect  insight  into 
his  secret  purpose  and  understanding  of  it,  in  following  out  the 
design  he  planned  to  carry  out  in  Christ,  and  in  arranging, 
when  the  time  should  have  fully  come,  that  everything  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  should  be  unified  in  Christ — the  Christ 
through  whom  it  is  our  lot  to  have  been  predestined  by  the 
design  of  him  who  in  everything  carries  out  the  purpose  of  his 
will,  to  win  praise  for  his  glory,  by  having  been  the  first  to 
believe  in  Christ.  You  also  have  heard  the  message  of  the 
truth,  the  good  news  of  your  salvation,  and  believed  in  him, 
and  through  union  with  him  you  have  been  marked  with  the 
seal  of  the  holy  Spirit  that  was  promised,  which  is  the  advance 
instalment  of  our  inheritance,  so  that  we  may  get  full  posses¬ 
sion  of  it,  and  praise  his  glory  for  it. 

This  is  why  I,  for  my  part,  since  I  have  heard  of  your  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  and  in  all  God’s  people,  never  cease  to  thank 
God  for  you  when  I  mention  you  in  my  prayers.  The  God  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  glorious  Father,  grant  you  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation  through  the  knowledge  of  himself, 
enlightening  the  eyes  of  your  mind  so  that  you  may  know 
what  the  hope  is  to  which  he  calls  you,  how  gloriously  rich 

362 


1 : 1— 1 8 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  363 


his  inheritance  is  among  God’s  people,  and  how  surpassingly 
great  his  power  is  for  us  who  believe;  like  the  mighty  strength 
he  exerted  in  raising  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  seating  him  at 
his  right  hand  in  heaven,  far  above  all  hierarchies,  authori¬ 
ties,  powers,  and  dominions,  and  all  titles  that  can  be  bestowed 
not  only  in  this  world  but  in  the  world  to  come.  He  has  put 
everything  under  his  feet  and  made  him  the  indisputable  head 
of  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  filled  by  him  who  fills  every¬ 
thing  everywhere.  Y ou  also  were  dead  because  of  the  offenses 
and  sins  in  the  midst  of  which  you  once  lived  under  the 
control  of  the  present  age  of  the  world,  and  the  master-spirit 
of  the  air,  who  is  still  at  work  among  the  disobedient.  We  all 
lived  among  them  once,  indulging  our  physical  cravings  and 
obeying  the  impulses  of  our  lower  nature  and  its  thoughts, 
and  by  nature  we  were  doomed  to  God’s  wrath  like  other  men. 
But  God  is  so  rich  in  mercy  that  because  of  the  great  love 
he  had  for  us,  he  made  us,  dead  as  we  were  through  our 
offenses,  live  again  with  the  Christ.  It  is  by  his  mercy  that  you 
have  been  saved.  And  he  raised  us  with  Christ,  and  through 
our  union  with  Christ  Jesus  made  us  sit  down  with  him  in 
heaven,  to  show  the  incomparable  wealth  of  his  mercy  through¬ 
out  the  ages  to  come  by  his  goodness  to  us  through  Christ  J esus. 
For  it  is  by  his  mercy  that  you  have  been  saved  through  faith. 
It  is  not  by  your  own  action,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  It  has  not 
been  earned,  so  that  no  one  can  boast  of  it.  For  he  has  made 
us,  creating  us  through  our  union  with  Christ  Jesus  for  the 
life  of  goodness  which  God  had  predestined  us  to  live. 

So  remember  that  you  were  once  physically  heathen,  and 
called  uncircumcised  by  those  who  called  themselves  circum¬ 
cised,  though  only  physically,  by  human  hands.  At  that  time 
you  had  no  connection  with  Christ,  you  were  aliens  to  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  to  the  agreements 
about  God’s  promise;  with  no  hope  and  no  God  in  all  the 
world.  But  now  through  your  union  with  Christ  you  who 
were  once  far  away  have  through  the  blood  of  Christ  been 
brought  near.  For  he  is  himself  our  peace.  He  has  united  the 
two  divisions,  and  broken  down  the  barrier  that  kept  us  apart, 
and  through  his  human  nature  put  an  end  to  the  feud  between 
us,  and  abolished  the  Law  with  its  rules  and  regulations,  in 

1:19-2:15 


3  6  4 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


order  to  make  peace  and  create  out  of  the  two  parties  one 
new  man  by  uniting  them  with  himself,  and  to  kill  the  feud 
between  them  with  his  cross  and  in  one  body  reconcile  them 
both  to  God  with  it.  He  came  with  the  good  news  of  peace 
for  you  who  were  far  away  and  for  those  who  were  near;  for 
it  is  through  him  that  we  both  with  one  Spirit  are  now  able  to 
approach  the  Father.  So  you  are  no  longer  foreigners  or 
strangers,  but  you  are  fellow-citizens  of  God’s  people  and 
members  of  his  family.  You  are  built  upon  the  apostles  and 
prophets  as  your  foundation,  and  Christ  Jesus  himself  is  the 
cornerstone.  Through  him  every  part  of  the  building  is 
closely  united  and  grows  into  a  temple  sacred  through  its 
relation  to  the  Lord,  and  you  are  yourselves  built  up  into  a 
dwelling  for  God  through  the  Spirit. 

This  is  why  I,  Paul,  whom  Jesus  the  Christ  has  made  a 
prisoner  for  the  sake  of  you  heathen — if  at  least  you  have 
heard  how  I  dealt  with  the  mercy  of  God  that  was  given  me 
for  you,  and  how  the  secret  was  made  known  to  me  by 
revelation,  as  I  have  just  briefly  written.  As  you  read  that, 
you  will  be  able  to  understand  the  insight  I  have  into  the 
secret  of  the  Christ  (which  in  past  ages  was  not  disclosed  to 
mankind  as  fully  as  it  has  now  been  revealed  through  the 
Spirit  to  his  holy  apostles  and  prophets)  that  through  union 
with  Christ  Jesus  the  heathen  are  fellow-heirs  with  the  Jews, 
belong  to  the  same  body  and  share  the  promise  with  them, 
through  the  good  news  for  which  I  became  a  worker  by 
virtue  of  the  gift  of  God’s  mercy  which  by  the  exercise  of  his 
power  he  has  given  me.  To  me,  the  very  least  of  all  his 
people,  this  favor  has  been  given,  of  preaching  to  the  heathen 
the  inexhaustible  wealth  of  the  Christ,  and  making  clear 
how  the  secret  purpose  is  to  be  worked  out  which  has  been 
hidden  away  for  ages  in  God  the  creator  of  all  things,  so  that 
the  many-sided  wisdom  of  God  may  now  through  the  church 
be  made  known  to  the  rulers  and  authorities  in  heaven,  fulfil- 
ing  the  eternal  purpose  which  God  carried  out  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord.  Through  union  with  him  and  through  faith  in  him, 
we  have  courage  to  approach  God  with  confidence.  So  I  ask 
that  what  I  am  having  to  suffer  for  your  sake  may  not  make 
me  lose  heart,  for  it  does  you  honor. 

2:16-3:13 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  365 


For  this  reason  I  kneel  before  the  Father  from  whom 
every  family  in  heaven  or  on  earth  takes  its  name,  and  beg 
him  out  of  his  wealth  of  glory  to  strengthen  you  mightily 
through  his  Spirit  in  your  inner  nature  and  through  your 
faith  to  let  Christ  in  his  love  make  his  home  in  your  hearts. 
Your  roots  must  be  deep  and  your  foundations  strong,  so  that 
you  and  all  God’s  people  may  be  strong  enough  to  grasp  what 
breadth,  length,  height,  and  depth  mean,  and  to  understand 
Christ’s  love,  so  far  beyond  our  understanding,  so  that  you 
may  be  filled  with  the  very  fulness  of  God.  To  him  who  by 
the  exertion  of  his  power  within  us  can  do  unutterably  more 
than  all  we  ask  or  imagine,  be  glory  through  the  church  and 
through  Christ  Jesus  through  all  generations  forever  and 
ever.  Amen. 

So  I,  the  prisoner  for  the  Lord’s  sake,  appeal  to  you  to 
live  lives  worthy  of  the  summons  you  have  received;  with 
perfect  humility  and  gentleness,  with  patience,  bearing  with 
one  another  lovingly.  Make  every  effort  to  maintain  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  through  the  tie  of  peace.  There  is  but  one 
body  and  one  Spirit,  just  as  there  is  but  one  hope  that  belongs 
to  the  summons  you  received.  There  is  but  one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above 
us  all,  pervades  us  all,  and  is  within  us  all.  But  each  one  of 
us  has  been  given  mercy  in  Christ’s  generous  measure.  So  it 
says, 

“When  he  went  up  on  high,  he  led  a  host  of  captives, 
And  gave  gifts  to  mankind.” 

What  does  “  he  went  up  ”  mean,  except  that  he  had  first  gone 
down  to  the  under  parts  of  the  earth  ?  It  is  he  who  went  down 
who  has  also  gone  up  above  all  the  heavens,  to  fill  the  universe. 
And  he  has  given  us  some  men  as  apostles,  some  as  prophets, 
some  as  missionaries,  some  as  pastors  and  teachers,  in  order 
to  fit  his  people  for  the  work  of  service,  for  building  the  body 
of  Christ,  until  we  all  attain  unity  in  faith,  and  in  the  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  reach  mature  manhood,  and  that 
full  measure  of  development  found  in  Christ.  We  must  not 
be  babies  any  longer,  blown  about  and  swung  around  by 
every  wind  of  doctrine  through  the  trickery  of  men  with  their 
ingenuity  in  inventing  error.  We  must  lovingly  hold  to  the 

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366 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


truth  and  grow  up  into  perfect  union  with  him  who  is  the 
head — Christ  himself.  For  it  is  under  his  control  that  the 
whole  system,  adjusted  and  united  by  each  ligament  of  its 
equipment,  develops  in  proportion  to  the  functioning  of  each 
particular  part,  and  so  builds  itself  up  through  love. 

So  what  I  mean  and  insist  upon  in  the  Lord’s  name  is  this: 
You  must  no  longer  live  like  the  heathen,  with  their  frivolity 
of  mind  and  darkened  understanding.  They  are  estranged 
from  the  life  of  God  because  of  the  ignorance  that  exists  among 
them  and  their  obstinacy  of  heart,  for  they  have  become 
callous,  and  abandoned  themselves  to  sensuality,  greedily 
practicing  every  kind  of  vice.  That  is  not  the  way  you  have 
been  taught  what  Christ  means,  at  least  if  you  have  really 
become  acquainted  with  him  and  been  instructed  in  him, 
and  in  union  with  him  have  been  taught  the  truth  as  it  is 
found  in  Jesus.  You  must  lay  aside  with  your  former  habits 
your  old  self  which  is  going  to  ruin  through  its  deceptive 
passions.  You  must  adopt  a  new  attitude  of  mind,  and  put 
on  the  new  self  which  has  been  created  in  likeness  to  God,  with 
all  the  uprightness  and  holiness  that  belong  to  the  truth. 

So  you  must  lay  aside  falsehood  and  each  tell  his  neighbor 
the  truth,  for  we  are  parts  of  one  another.  Be  angry,  but  do 
not  sin.  The  sun  must  not  go  down  upon  your  anger;  you 
must  not  give  the  devil  a  chance.  The  man  who  stole  must 
not  steal  any  more;  he  must  work  with  his  hands  at  honest 
toil  instead,  so  as  to  have  something  to  share  with  those  who 
are  in  need.  No  bad  word  must  ever  pass  your  lips,  but  only 
words  that  are  good  and  suited  to  improve  the  occasion,  so 
that  they  will  be  a  blessing  to  those  who  hear  them.  You 
must  not  offend  God’s  holy  Spirit,  with  which  you  have  been 
marked  for  the  Day  of  Redemption.  You  must  give  up  all 
bitterness,  rage,  anger,  and  loud,  abusive  talk,  and  all  spite. 
You  must  be  kind  to  one  another,  you  must  be  tender-hearted, 
and  forgive  one  another  just  as  God  through  Christ  has 
forgiven  you.  So  follow  God’s  example,  like  his  dear  children, 
and  lead  loving  lives,  just  as  Christ  loved  you  and  gave  himself 
for  you,  as  a  fragrant  offering  and  sacrifice  to  God. 

But  immorality  or  any  form  of  vice  or  greed  must  not  be 
so  much  as  mentioned  among  you;  that  would  not  be  becom- 

4  ••  16-5:3 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  36 7 


ing  in  God’s  people.  There  must  be  no  indecency  or  foolish 
or  scurrilous  talk — all  that  is  unbecoming.  There  should 
be  thanksgiving  instead.  For  you  may  be  sure  that  no  one 
who  is  immoral,  or  greedy  for  gain  (for  that  is  idolatry)  can 
have  any  share  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  and  God. 

Whatever  anyone  may  say  in  the  way  of  worthless  argu¬ 
ments  to  deceive  you,  these  are  the  things  that  are  bringing 
God’s  anger  down  upon  the  disobedient.  Therefore  have 
nothing  to  do  with  them.  For  once  you  were  sheer  darkness, 
but  now,  as  Christians,  you  are  light  itself.  You  must  live 
like  children  of  light,  for  light  leads  to  perfect  goodness, 
uprightness,  and  truth;  you  must  make  sure  what  pleases  the 
Lord.  Have  nothing  to  do  with  the  profitless  doings  of  the 
darkness;  expose  them  instead.  For  while  it  is  degrading 
even  to  mention  their  secret  practices,  yet  when  anything 
is  exposed  by  the  light,  it  is  made  visible,  and  anything  that 
is  made  visible  is  light.  So  it  says, 

“Wake  up,  sleeper! 

Rise  from  the  dead, 

And  Christ  will  dawn  upon  you!” 

Be  very  careful,  then,  about  the  way  you  live.  Do  not  act 
thoughtlessly,  but  like  sensible  men,  and  make  the  most  of 
your  opportunity,  for  these  are  evil  times.  So  do  not  be 
foolish,  but  understand  what  the  Lord’s  will  is.  Do  not  get 
drunk  on  wine,  for  that  is  profligacy,  but  be  filled  with  the 
Spirit,  and  speak  to  one  another  in  psalms,  hymns,  and  sacred 
songs.  Sing  praise  to  God  with  all  your  hearts;  always  give 
thanks  for  everything  to  God  our  Father,  as  followers  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  subordinate  yourselves  to  one  another 
out  of  reverence  to  Christ. 

You  married  women  must  subordinate  yourselves  to  your 
husbands,  as  you  do  to  the  Lord,  for  a  husband  is  the  head  of 
his  wife,  just  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  which  is  his 
body,  and  is  saved  by  him.  Just  as  the  church  is  in  subjection 
to  Christ,  so  married  women  must  be,  in  everything,  to  their 
husbands.  You  who  are  husbands  must  love  your  wives, 
just  as  Christ  loves  the  church  and  gave  himself  for  her,  to 
consecrate  her,  after  cleansing  her  with  the  bath  in  water 
through  her  confession  of  him,  in  order  to  bring  the  church 

5U-27 


368 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


to  himself  in  all  her  beauty,  without  a  flaw  or  a  wrinkle  or 
anything  of  the  kind,  but  to  be  consecrated  and  faultless. 
That  is  the  way  husbands  ought  to  love  their  wives — as  if  they 
were  their  own  bodies;  a  man  who  loves  his  wife  is  really 
loving  himself,  for  no  one  ever  hates  his  own  person,  but  he 
feeds  it  and  takes  care  of  it,  just  as  Christ  does  with  the 
church,  for  we  are  parts  of  his  body.  Therefore  a  man 
must  leave  his  father  and  mother  and  attach  himself  to  his 
wife,  and  they  must  become  one.  This  is  a  great  secret,  but 
I  understand  it  of  Christ  and  the  church.  But  each  one  of 
you  must  love  his  wife  just  as  he  loves  himself,  and  the  wife, 
too,  must  respect  her  husband. 

Children,  as  Christians  obey  your  parents,  for  that  is  right. 
“You  must  honor  your  father  and  mother” — that  is  the  first 
commandment  accompanied  with  a  promise — “so  that  you 
may  prosper  and  have  a  long  life  on  earth.”  You  fathers, 
too,  must  not  irritate  your  children,  but  you  must  bring  them 
up  with  Christian  training  and  instruction. 

You  who  are  slaves,  obey  your  earthly  masters,  in 
reverence  and  awe,  with  sincerity  of  heart,  as  you  would  the 
Christ,  not  with  mere  external  service,  as  though  you  had 
only  men  to  please,  but  like  slaves  of  Christ,  carrying  out  the 
will  of  God.  Do  your  duties  heartily  and  willingly,  as  though 
it  were  for  the  Lord,  not  for  men,  for  you  know  that  everyone, 
slave  or  free,  will  be  rewarded  by  the  Lord  for  his  good 
conduct.  You  who  are  masters,  too,  must  treat  your  slaves 
in  the  same  way,  and  cease  to  threaten  them,  for  you  know 
that  their  Master  and  yours  is  in  heaven,  and  that  he  will 
show  no  partiality. 

Henceforth  you  must  grow  strong  through  union  with 
the  Lord  and  through  his  mighty  strength.  You  must  put 
on  God’s  armor,  so  as  to  be  able  to  stand  up  against  the  devil’s 
stratagems.  For  we  have  to  struggle,  not  with  enemies  of 
flesh  and  blood,  but  with  the  hierarchies,  the  authorities, 
the  master-spirits  of  this  dark  world,  the  spirit-forces  of  evil 
on  high.  So  you  must  take  God’s  armor,  so  that  when  the 
evil  day  comes  you  will  be  able  to  make  a  stand,  and  when 
it  is  all  over  to  hold  your  ground.  Stand  your  ground,  then, 
with  the  belt  of  truth  around  your  waist,  and  put  on  upright- 

5:28-6:14 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  369 


ness  as  your  coat  of  mail,  and  on  your  feet  put  the  readiness 
the  good  news  of  peace  brings.  Besides  all  these,  take  faith 
for  your  shield,  for  with  it  you  will  be  able  to  put  out  all  the 
flaming  missiles  of  the  evil  one,  and  take  salvation  for  your 
helmet,  and  for  your  sword  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  voice  of 
God.  Use  every  kind  of  prayer  and  entreaty,  and  at  every 
opportunity  pray  in  the  Spirit.  Be  on  the  alert  about  it; 
devote  yourselves  constantly  to  prayer  for  all  God’s  people 
and  for  me,  that  when  I  open  my  lips  I  may  be  given  a  mes¬ 
sage,  so  that  I  may  boldly  make  known  the  secret  of  the  good 
news,  for  the  sake  of  which  I  am  an  envoy,  and  in  prison. 
Pray  that,  when  I  tell  it,  I  may  have  the  courage  to  speak 
as  I  ought. 

In  order  that  you  also  may  know  how  I  am,  our  dear 
brother  Tychicus,  a  faithful  helper  in  the  Lord’s  service,  will 
tell  you  all  about  it.  That  is  the  very  reason  I  am  sending 
him,  to  let  you  know  how  I  am,  and  to  cheer  your  hearts. 

God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  give  the 
brothers  peace  and  love,  with  faith.  God’s  blessing  be  with 
all  who  have  an  unfailing  love  for  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


6:15-24 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS 


Paul  and  Timothy,  slaves  of  Christ  Jesus,  to  all  the 
devoted  adherents  of  Christ  Jesus  who  are  in  Philippi.,  with 
the  superintendents  and  assistants;  God  our  Father  and 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and  give  you  peace. 

I  never  think  of  you  without  thanking  my  God,  and  always 
whenever  I  pray  for  you  all  I  do  it  with  joy,  over  your  co¬ 
operation  in  the  good  news  from  the  day  you  first  received  it 
until  now.  For  I  am  certain  that  he  who  has  begun  the  good 
work  in  you  will  finish  it  for  the  Day  of  Jesus  Christ.  And 
I  have  a  right  to  feel  in  this  way  about  you  all,  because  both 
when  I  am  in  prison  and  when  I  am  defending  and  vindicating 
our  right  to  preach  the  good  news,  I  have  you  in  my  heart  as 
all  sharing  that  privilege  with  me.  For  God  is  my  witness 
how  I  yearn  for  you  all  with  the  affection  of  Christ  Jesus 
himself.  And  it  is  my  prayer  that  yoqr  love  may  grow  richer 
and  richer  in  knowledge  and  perfect  insight,  so  that  you  may 
have  a  sense  of  what  is  vital,  and  may  be  men  of  transparent 
character  and  blameless  life,  in  preparation  for  the  Day  of 
Christ,  with  your  lives  filled  with  the  fruits  which  uprightness 
produces  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  honor  and  praise  of  God. 

Now  I  want  to  assure  you,  brothers,  that  what  has 
happened  to  me  has  actually  resulted  in  furthering  the  preach¬ 
ing  of  the  good  news.  Thus  it  is  generally  known  throughout 
the  Imperial  Guard  and  elsewhere  that  it  is  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  that  I  am  in  prison,  and  so  most  of  the  Christian 
brothers  have  been  exceedingly  encouraged  by  my  example 
to  declare  God’s  message  without  any  fear  of  the  consequences. 

Some  of  them,  it  is  true,  are  actually  preaching  the  Christ 
from  jealousy  and  partisanship,  but  there  are  others  who  are 
doing  it  out  of  good-will.  These  latter  do  it  from  love  for  me, 
for  they  know  that  God  has  put  me  where  I  am  to  defend  our 
right  to  preach  the  good  news.  But  the  others  are  preaching 
the  Christ  not  sincerely  but  for  their  own  ends,  imagining  that 
they  are  making  my  imprisonment  harder  to  bear. 


1:1-17 


37o 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  PHILIPPI ANS  371 


But  what  difference  does  it  make  ?  All  that  matters  is 
that,  in  one  way  or  another,  from  false  motives  or  honest  ones, 
Christ  is  being  made  known;  I  am  glad  of  that.  Yes,  and  I 
expect  to  be  glad,  for  I  know  that  through  your  prayers  and 
the  help  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  all  this  will  turn  out 
for  my  highest  welfare,  for  I  eagerly  and  confidently  hope  that 
I  shall  never  disgrace  myself  but  that  this  time  as  always 
hitherto,  living  or  dying,  I  shall  do  Christ  credit  by  my 
unfailing  courage. 

For,  as  I  see  it,  living  means  Christ  and  dying  something 
even  better.  But  if  living  on  here  means  having  my  labor 
bear  fruit,  I  cannot  tell  which  to  choose.  I  am  undecided 
between  the  two,  for  I  long  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  for 
that  is  far,  far  better,  and  yet  your  needs  make  it  very  neces¬ 
sary  for  me  to  stay  on  here.  I  am  convinced  of  this,  and  so 
I  know  that  I  shall  stay  on  and  serve  you  all,  to  help  you  to 
develop  and  to  be  glad  in  your  faith.  So  you  will  find  in  me 
fresh  cause  for  Christian  exultation,  through  having  me  with 
you  again. 

Whatever  happens,  show  yourselves  citizens  worthy  of 
the  good  news  of  the  Christ,  so  that  whether  I  come  and  see 
you  or  am  kept  away  and  only  hear  news  of  you,  I  may  know 
that  you  are  standing  firm  with  one  spirit,  one  purpose,  fight¬ 
ing  side  by  side  for  faith  in  the  good  news.  Never  for  a 
moment  falter  before  your  opponents,  for  your  fearlessness 
will  be  a  sure  sign  for  them  of  their  coming  destruction,  but  to 
you  it  will  be  an  omen,  from  God  himself,  of  your  deliverance. 
For  you  have  been  granted  the  privilege  not  only  of  trusting 
in  Christ  but  of  suffering  for  him.  Take  your  part  in  the 
same  struggle  that  you  have  seen  me  engage  in  and  that  you 
hear  I  am  still  keeping  up. 

So  by  whatever  appeal  there  is  in  our  relation  to  Christ,  by 
whatever  incentive  there  is  in  love,  by  whatever  participation 
there  is  in  the  Spirit,  whatever  affection  and  sympathy,  make 
me  perfectly  happy  by  living  in  harmony,  with  the  same 
attitude  of  love,  with  the  same  feeling  and  purpose.  Do  not 
act  for  selfish  ends  or  from  vanity,  but  modestly  treat  one 
another  as  your  superiors.  Do  not  take  account  of  your 
own  interests,  but  of  the  interests  of  others  as  well.  Have 

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372 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  same  attitude  that  Christ  Jesus  had.  Though  he 
possessed  the  nature  of  God,  he  did  not  grasp  at  equality  with 
God,  but  laid  it  aside  to  take  on  the  nature  of  a  slave  and 
become  like  other  men.  When  he  had  assumed  human  form, 
he  still  further  humbled  himself  and  carried  his  obedience  so 
far  as  to  die,  and  to  die  upon  the  cross.  That  is  why  God  has 
so  greatly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  the  name  above  all 
others,  so  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  everyone  should  kneel,  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  and  in  the  underworld,  and  everyone 
should  acknowledge  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord,  and  thus  glorify 
God  the  Father. 

So,  my  dear  friends,  as  you  have  always  been  obedient, 
with  reverence  and  awe  make  every  effort  to  insure  your  sal¬ 
vation,  not  simply  as  though  I  were  with  you,  but  all  the  more 
because  I  am  away.  For  it  is  God  who  in  his  good-will  is  at 
work  in  your  hearts,  inspiring  your  will  and  your  action.  Do 
everything  without  any  grumbling  or  disputing,  so  that  you 
will  be  blameless  and  honest,  faultless  children  of  God  in  the 
midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverted  age,  in  which  you  appear 
like  stars  in  a  dark  world,  offering  men  the  message  of  life. 
Then  I  will  have  reason  to  boast  of  you  on  the  Day  of  Christ, 
because  my  exertion  and  labor  have  not  been  wasted.  Even 
if  my  life  is  to  be  poured  out  as  a  libation  as  you  offer  your 
faith  in  a  service  of  sacrifice  to  God,  I  am  glad  to  have  it  so, 
and  I  congratulate  you  upon  it,  just  as  you  must  be  glad  and 
congratulate  me. 

I  hope,  with  the  help  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  send  Timothy 
to  you  soon,  so  that  I,  too,  may  be  cheered  by  having  news 
about  you.  For  I  have  no  one  like  him  who  would  take  such 
a  real  interest  in  you.  For  they  are  all  looking  out  for  their 
own  interests,  not  for  those  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  you  know  his 
character,  and  how  like  a  son  helping  his  father  he  has 
worked  like  a  slave  with  me  in  preaching  the  good  news. 
So  I  hope  to  send  him  to  you  just  as  soon  as  I  can  see  how  my 
case  is  going  to  turn  out.  I  trust  the  Lord  to  enable  me  to 
come  to  you  myself  before  long.  But  I  feel  that  I  must  send 
back  to  you  Epaphroditus,  my  brother,  fellow-laborer,  and 
fellow-soldier,  whom  you  sent  to  look  after  my  needs.  For  he 
has  been  longing  to  see  you  all,  and  has  been  greatly  distressed 

2 : 6-26 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS 


373 


because  you  heard  that  he  was  sick.  For  he  was  sick, 
and  nearly  died,  but  God  took  pity  on  him,  and  not  only  on 
him,  but  on  me,  to  save  me  from  having  one  sorrow  after 
another.  So  I  am  all  the  more  eager  to  send  him,  so  that 
you  may  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  again,  and  I  may 
feel  more  relieved.  So  give  him  a  hearty  Christian  welcome, 
and  value  men  like  him  very  highly,  for  he  came  near  dying 
for  the  Lord’s  work,  and  risked  his  life  to  make  up  for  what 
was  lacking  in  the  service  you  have  done  me. 

Now,  my  brothers,  goodbye,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you. 
I  do  not  mind  writing  the  same  thing  over  and  over  to  you; 
it  is  necessary  for  your  safety. 

Look  out  for  those  dogs,  those  mischief-makers,  with  their 
amputation!  We  are  the  true  circumcision,  who  worship 
God  by  his  Spirit,  priding  ourselves  only  on  Christ  Jesus,  and 
not  relying  on  physical  advantages,  though  I  at  least  am 
entitled  to  rely  on  them. 

If  anyone  thinks  he  can  rely  on  his  physical  advantages, 
still  more  can  I !  I  was  circumcised  when  I  was  eight  days  old. 
I  am  a  descendant  of  Israel.  I  belong  to  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin.  I  am  a  Hebrew,  and  the  son  of  Hebrews.  As 
to  the  Law,  I  was  a  Pharisee;  as  to  my  zeal,  I  was  a  persecutor 
of  the  church;  and  by  the  Law’s  standard  of  uprightness,  no 
fault  could  be  found  with  me.  But  for  the  sake  of  Christ 
I  have  come  to  count  my  former  gains  as  loss.  Why,  I  count 
everything  as  loss  compared  with  the  supreme  advantage  of 
knowing  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.  For  his  sake  I  have  lost 
everything,  and  think  it  rubbish,  in  order  to  gain  Christ  and  be 
known  to  be  united  to  him,  with  any  uprightness  I  may  have 
not  based  on  law  but  coming  through  faith  in  Christ — the 
uprightness  that  comes  from  God  through  faith.  I  want  to 
know  him  in  the  power  of  resurrection,  and  to  share  his  suffer¬ 
ings  and  even  his  death,  in  the  hope  of  attaining  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  Not  that  I  have  secured  it  yet,  or  already 
reached  perfection,  but  I  am  pressing  on  to  see  if  I  can  capture 
it,  because  I  have  been  captured  by  Jesus  Christ.  Brothers, 
I  do  not  consider  that  I  have  captured  it  yet,  only,  forgetting 
what  is  behind  me,  and  straining  toward  what  lies  ahead,  I  am 
pressing  toward  the  goal,  for  the  prize  to  which  God  through 

2:27-3:14 


374 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Christ  Jesus  calls  us  upward.  Let  as  many  of  us  therefore  as 
are  mature  have  this  attitude.  If  you  have  any  different  atti¬ 
tude,  God  will  make  this  clear  to  you.  Only,  we  must  live  up 
to  what  we  have  already  attained. 

Follow  my  example,  brothers,  all  of  you,  and  notice  those 
who  follow  the  pattern  we  have  set  you.  For  there  are  many 
who  live,  as  I  have  often  told  you,  and  tell  you  now  with  tears, 
like  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ.  They  are  doomed  to  de¬ 
struction:  their  appetites  are  their  god;  they  glory  in  their 
shame;  they  are  absorbed  in  earthly  matters.  But  the  com¬ 
monwealth  to  which  we  belong  is  in  heaven,  and  from  it  we  are 
eagerly  awaiting  the  coming  of  a  savior,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
He  will  make  our  poor  bodies  over  to  resemble  his  glorious 
body,  by  exerting  the  power  he  has  to  subject  everything  to 
himself. 

So,  my  dear  brothers  whom  I  so  long  to  see,  my  joy  and 
pride,  stand  firm  in  the  Lord,  dear  friends. 

I  appeal  to  Euodia  and  I  appeal  to  Syntyche  to  agree 
together,  as  Christians.  And  I  beg  you,  my  true  comrade, 
help  them,  for  they  toiled  at  my  side  in  spreading  the  good 
news,  with  Clement  and  the  rest  of  my  fellow-workers,  whose 
names  are  in  the  book  of  life. 

Goodbye,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you  always.  Again  I 
say,  goodbye.  Let  all  men  see  your  forbearing  spirit.  The 
Lord  is  coming  soon.  Have  no  anxiety  about  anything,  but 
make  all  your  wants  known  to  God  in  prayer  and  entreaty, 
and  with  thanksgiving.  Then,  through  your  union  with 
Christ  Jesus,  the  peace  of  God,  so  far  above  any  human 
thought,  will  guard  your  minds  and  thoughts. 

Now,  brothers,  let  your  minds  dwell  on  what  is  true,  what 
is  worthy,  what  is  right,  what  is  pure,  what  is  amiable,  what 
is  kindly — on  everything  that  is  excellent  or  praiseworthy. 
Do  the  things  that  you  learned,  received,  and  heard  from  me, 
and  that  you  saw  me  do.  Then  God  who  gives  peace  will  be 
with  you, 

I  was  very  glad,  as  a  Christian,  to  have  your  interest  in  me 
revive  again  after  so  long;  for  you  have  always  been  inter¬ 
ested,  but  you  have  had  no  opportunity  to  show  it.  Not  that 
I  have  anything  to  complain  of,  for  I  have  learned  how  to  be 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  375 


contented  with  the  condition  I  am  in.  I  know  how  to  live 
humbly  and  I  know  how  to  enjoy  plenty.  I  have  learned  the 
secret,  in  any  and  all  conditions,  of  being  well-fed  and  of  going 
hungry,  of  having  plenty  and  of  going  without.  I  can  do 
anything  through  him  who  gives  me  strength.  But  it  was 
very  kind  of  you  to  share  my  difficulties.  And  you  at 
Philippi  know  as  well  as  I  do,  that  in  the  early  days  of  the 
good  news,  after  I  left  Macedonia,  no  church  but  yours  went 
into  partnership  and  opened  an  account  with  me.  Even 
when  I  was  at  Thessaionica  you  sent  money  more  than  once 
for  my  needs.  Not  that  I  want  your  gifts,  but  I  want  you  to 
have  the  profits  that  will  accumulate  to  your  credit.  You 
have  paid  me  in  full,  and  more  too.  I  am  fully  supplied  with 
what  I  have  received  from  you  through  Epaphroditus.  It  is 
like  fragrant  incense,  just  such  a  sacrifice  as  God  welcomes 
and  approves.  My  God  will  gloriously  supply  all  your  needs 
with  his  wealth,  through  your  union  with  Christ  Jesus. 
Glory  to  our  God  and  Father  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

Remember  me  to  ail  my  fellow-Christians.  The  brothers 
who  are  with  me  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you.  All  God’s 
people  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you,  especially  those  who 
belong  to  the  emperor’s  household. 

The  blessing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
spirits. 


4:12-23 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 


Paul,  by  God’s  will  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  our 
brother  Timothy,  to  the  devoted  and  steadfast  Christian 
brothers  in  Colossae;  God  our  Father  bless  you  and  give 
you  peace. 

We  never  pray  for  you  without  thanking  God,  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  what  we  have  heard  of  your  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love  you  have  for  all  God’s  people, 
and  for  the  hope  of  what  is  stored  up  for  you  in  heaven. 
You  first  heard  of  it  long  ago  when  the  true  message  of  the 
gospel  came  among  you,  to  thrive  and  bear  its  fruit  among 
you,  as  it  does  all  over  the  world,  from  the  time  when  you  first 
heard  about  the  mercy  of  God,  and  really  came  to  know  it, 
in  the  form  in  which  Epaphras,  my  dear  fellow-slave,  taught 
it  to  you.  He  is  my  faithful  representative  as  a  servant  of 
Christ,  and  it  is  he  who  has  told  me  of  the  love  the  Spirit  has 
awakened  in  you.  That  is  why,  from  the  day  I  first  heard 
of  it,  I  have  never  given  up  praying  for  you  and  asking  God 
to  fill  you,  through  full  spiritual  wisdom  and  insight,  with  a 
clear  knowledge  of  what  his  will  is,  so  that  the  lives  you  live 
may  be  worthy  of  your  Master  and  wholly  pleasing  to  him, 
and  you  may  be  fruitful  in  all  kinds  of  good  deeds,  and  may 
grow  into  fuller  knowledge  of  God.  Then,  so  mighty  is  his 
majesty,  he  will  nerve  you  perfectly  with  strength  for  the 
cheerful  exercise  of  endurance  and  forbearance  in  every 
situation,  and  you  will  thank  the  Father  who  has  entitled  you 
to  share  the  lot  of  God’s  people  in  the  realm  of  light.  He  has 
rescued  us  from  the  dominion  of  darkness,  and  has  transferred 
us  into  the  realm  of  his  dear  Son,  by  whom  we  have  been  ran¬ 
somed  from  captivity  through  having  our  sins  forgiven.  He 
is  a  likeness  of  the  unseen  God,  born  before  any  creature, 
for  it  was  through  him  that  everything  was  created  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  the  seen  and  the  unseen,  angelic  thrones, 
dominions,  principalities,  authorities — all  things  were  created 
through  him  and  for  him.  He  existed  before  all  things  and 

376 


1:1-17 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 


377 


he  sustains  and  embraces  them  all.  He  is  the  head  of  the 
church,  it  is  his  body;  for  he  is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn 
from  among  the  dead — that  he  might  come  to  stand  first  in 
everything.  For  all  the  divine  fulness  chose  to  dwell  in  him 
and  through  him  to  reconcile  to  God  all  things  on  earth  or  in 
heaven,  making  this  peace  through  his  blood  shed  on  the  cross. 
And  it  has  brought  you,  who  were  once  estranged  from  him, 
hostile  in  attitude  and  engaged  in  doing  wrong  (though  now  he 
has  reconciled  you  through  dying  in  his  human  body)  in  holi¬ 
ness,  and  free  from  reproach  or  blame,  into  God’s  presence 
— if  at  least  you  continue  firm  and  steadfast  in  the  exercise 
of  faith,  and  never  shift  from  the  hope  held  out  in  the  good 
news  to  which  you  listened,  which  has  been  preached  all 
over  the  world,  and  for  which  I,  Paul,  became  a  worker. 

At  present  I  am  glad  to  be  suffering  in  your  interest,  and 
I  am  making  up  in  my  own  person  what  is  lacking  in  Christ’s 
sufferings  for  the  church,  which  is  his  body.  In  it,  by  divine 
appointment,  I  became  a  worker,  that  I  might  preach  among 
you  the  message  of  God  in  its  fulness — that  secret,  hidden 
from  the  ages  and  generations,  but  now  disclosed  to  those 
who  are  consecrated  to  him,  to  whom  God  has  chosen  to  make 
known  among  the  heathen  how  glorious  this  mystery  of 
Christ  in  you,  the  promise  of  glorification,  really  is.  And  in 
spreading  the  news  of  him,  we  warn  everyone  and  teach  every¬ 
one  all  our  wisdom,  in  order  to  bring  everyone  to  Christian 
perfection.  That  is  what  I  am  working  for,  fighting  with  all 
the  energy  with  which  he  so  mightily  endows  me. 

For  I  want  you  to  know  what  a  fight  I  am  putting  up  for 
you  and  for  our  brothers  in  Laodicea,  and  for  all  who  do  not 
know  me  personally,  that  your  hearts  may  be  cheered.  I 
want  you  to  be  united  by  love,  and  to  have  all  the  benefit  of 
assured  knowledge  in  coming  to  know  Christ — that  divine 
mystery  in  which  all  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  are 
to  be  found.  What  I  mean  is,  let  nobody  mislead  you  by 
specious  arguments.  For  though  I  am  absent  from  you  in 
person  I  am  with  you  in  spirit,  and  I  am  glad  to  observe  your 
harmony  and  the  solidity  of  your  faith  in  Christ. 

So  just  as  you  once  accepted  the  Christ,  Jesus,  as  your 
Lord,  you  must  live  in  vital  union  with  him.  You  must  be 

i : i 8-2 : 7 


378 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


rooted  and  built  up  in  him  and  made  strong  in  faith,  just  as 
you  were  taught  to  be,  overflowing  with  it  in  your  gratitude. 

Take  care  that  nobody  exploits  you  through  the  preten¬ 
sions  of  philosophy,  guided  by  human  tradition,  following 
material  ways  of  looking  at  things,  instead  of  following  Christ. 
For  it  is  in  him  that  all  the  fulness  of  God’s  nature  lives 
embodied,  and  in  union  with  him  you  too  are  filled  with  it. 
He  is  the  head  of  all  your  principalities  and  dominions. 
Through  your  relation  to  him  you  have  received,  not  a 
physical  circumcision,  but  a  circumcision  effected  by  Christ, 
in  stripping  you  of  your  material  nature,  when  in  your  baptism 
you  were  buried  with  him,  and  raised  to  life  with  him  through 
your  faith  in  the  power  of  God  who  raised  him  from  the  dead. 
Yes,  you  who  were  dead  through  your  misdeeds  and  physically 
uncircumcised,  God  raised  to  life  with  Christ.  He  forgave 
us  all  our  misdeeds,  canceled  the  bond  which  stood  against  us, 
with  its  requirements,  and  put  it  out  of  our  way  when  he  nailed 
it  to  the  cross.  He  disarmed  the  principalities  and  dominions 
and  displayed  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them  through  him. 

So  no  one  can  call  you  to  account  for  what  you  eat  or 
drink,  or  do  about  annual  or  monthly  feasts  or  Sabbaths. 
That  was  all  only  the  shadow  of  something  that  was  to  follow; 
the  reality  is  found  in  Christ.  No  one  can  put  you  in  the 
wrong  by  persisting  in  studied  humility  and  the  worship  of 
angels,  being  absorbed  in  the  visions  he  has  seen,  and  ground¬ 
lessly  conceited  over  his  mere  human  mind.  Such  people 
lose  their  connection  with  the  head,  from  which  the  whole 
body  through  its  ligaments  and  sinews  must  be  governed 
and  united  if  it  is  to  grow  in  the  divine  way. 

If  you  have  died  with  Christ  to  material  ways  of  looking 
at  things,  why  do  you  act  as  though  you  still  belonged  to  the 
world,  and  submit  to  rules  like  “You  must  not  handle,” 
“You  must  not  taste,”  “You  must  not  touch” — referring 
to  things  that  are  all  meant  to  be  used  up  and  destroyed  ? 
This  is  to  follow  mere  human  rules  and  regulations.  Such 
practices  pass  for  wisdom,  with  their  self-imposed  devotions, 
their  self-humiliation,  and  their  ascetic  discipline,  but  they 
carry  with  them  no  real  distinction,  they  are  really  only  a 
catering  to  the  flesh. 

2 : 8-23 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 


379 


If,  then,  you  have  been  raised  to  life  with  Christ,  set  your 
hearts  on  the  things  that  are  where  Christ  is,  above,  seated  at 
God’s  right  hand.  Fix  your  thoughts  on  the  things  that  are 
above,  not  on  those  that  are  on  earth.  For  you  have  died, 
and  your  life  now  lies  hidden  with  Christ  in  God.  When 
Christ,  who  is  our  true  life,  shall  make  his  appearance,  then 
you  also  will  appear  glorified  with  him. 

So  treat  as  dead  your  physical  nature,  as  far  as  immoral¬ 
ity,  impurity,  passion,  evil  desire,  and  greed  are  concerned; 
for  it  is  really  idolatry.  It  is  on  account  of  these  things  that 
God’s  anger  is  coming.  And  you  once  practiced  them  as  others 
do,  when  you  lived  that  old  earthly  life.  But  now  you  too 
must  put  them  all  aside — anger,  rage,  spite,  rough,  abusive 
talk — these  must  be  banished  from  your  lips.  You  must  not 
lie  to  one  another.  For  you  have  stripped  off  your  old  self 
with  its  ways  and  have  put  on  that  new  self  newly  made  in 
the  likeness  of  its  Creator,  to  know  him  fully.  Here,  what 
matters  is  not  “Greek”  and  “Jew,”  the  circumcised  and  the 
uncircumcised,  barbarian,  Scythian,  slave,  freeborn,  but 
Christ  is  everything  and  in  us  all. 

As  persons  chosen  by  God,  then,  consecrated  and  dearly 
loved,  you  must  clothe  yourselves  with  tenderness  of  heart, 
kindness,  humility,  gentleness,  forbearance.  You  must  bear 
with  one  another  and  forgive  one  another,  if  anyone  has  reason 
to  be  offended  with  anyone  else.  Just  as  the  Lord  has 
forgiven  you,  so  you  must  forgive.  And  over  all  these  put  on 
love,  which  completes  them  and  fastens  them  all  together. 
Let  the  ruling  principle  in  your  hearts  be  Christ’s  peace,  for 
in  becoming  members  of  one  body  you  have  been  called  under 
its  sway.  And  you  must  be  thankful.  Let  the  message  of 
Christ  live  in  your  hearts  in  all  its  wealth  of  wisdom.  Teach 
it  to  one  another  and  train  one  another  in  it  with  thankfulness, 
with  psalms,  hymns,  and  sacred  songs,  and  sing  to  God  with 
all  your  hearts.  And  whatever  you  have  to  say  or  do,  do 
it  all  as  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  offer  your  thanks¬ 
giving  to  God  the  Father  through  him. 

You  married  women  must  subordinate  yourselves  to  your 
husbands,  for  that  is  your  duty  as  Christians.  You  who  are 
husbands  must  love  your  wives  and  not  be  harsh  to  them. 

3:1-19 


38° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Children,  always  obey  your  parents,  for  that  is  commend¬ 
able  in  Christians.  Fathers,  do  not  irritate  your  children, 
or  they  may  lose  heart. 

You  who  are  slaves  must  always  obey  your  earthly 
masters,  not  with  mere  external  service,  as  though  you  had 
only  men  to  please,  but  with  sincerity  of  heart,  because  you 
fear  the  Lord.  Work  at  everything  you  do  with  all  your 
hearts,  as  work  done  not  for  men  only  but  for  the  Lord,  for  you 
know  that  it  is  from  him  that  you  are  to  receive  that  inherit¬ 
ance  which  is  to  be  your  reward.  Think  of  Christ  as  the  mas¬ 
ter  you  are  working  for.  For  the  man  who  wrongs  anyone  will 
be  paid  back  for  the  wrong  he  has  done;  there  will  be  no  excep¬ 
tions.  Y ou  who  are  masters  must  treat  your  slaves  justly  and 
fairly,  and  remember  that  you  have  a  Master  too,  in  heaven. 

Be  persistent  in  prayer  and  wide  awake  about  it  when  you 
give  thanks.  Pray  for  me  too,  that  God  may  give  me  an 
opening  for  the  message,  and  let  me  tell  the  secret  of  Christ 
on  account  of  which  I  am  kept  in  prison  until  I  can  make  clear 
to  the  authorities  why  I  cannot  help  telling  it.  Use  wisdom  in 
dealing  with  outsiders,  making  the  most  of  your  opportunities. 
Always  put  your  message  attractively,  and  yet  pointedly, 
and  be  prepared  to  give  every  inquirer  a  fitting  answer. 

Our  dear  brother  Tychicus,  my  faithful  helper  and  fellow- 
servant  in  the  Lord’s  work,  will  tell  you  all  about  me.  I  am 
sending  him  to  you  for  the  express  purpose  of  letting  you  know 
my  circumstances,  and  of  cheering  your  hearts.  And  with 
him  I  send  my  dear,  faithful  brother  Onesimus,  who  is  one  of 
your  own  number.  They  will  tell  you  all  about  matters  here. 

Aristarchus,  my  fellow-prisoner,  wishes  to  be  remembered 
to  you,  and  so  does  Barnabas’  cousin  Mark.  (About  him  you 
have  had  instructions;  if  he  comes  to  see  you,  make  him 
welcome.)  So  also  does  Jesus  who  is  called  Justus.  They 
are  the  only  ones  among  the  converts  from  Judaism  who  have 
worked  with  me  for  the  reign  of  God  who  have  proved  a  com¬ 
fort  to  me.  Epaphras,  one  of  your  own  number,  a  slave  of 
Christ  Jesus,  wishes  to  be  remembered  to  you.  He  is  always 
standing  up  for  you  in  his  prayers  that  you  may  stand  fast, 
like  men  of  mature  convictions,  whatever  God’s  will  for  you 
may  be.  I  can  testify  how  anxious  he  is  about  you  and  the 

3:20-4:13 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  381 


brothers  in  Laodicea  and  Hierapolis.  Our  dear  Luke,  the 
doctor,  and  Demas  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you.  Remem¬ 
ber  me  to  the  brothers  in  Laodicea  and  to  Nympha  and  the 
church  that  meets  at  her  house.  When  this  letter  has  been 
read  to  you,  have  it  read  to  the  church  at  Laodicea  also,  and 
see  that  you  read  the  letter  that  is  coming  from  there.  And 
tell  Archippus,  “See  that  you  perform  the  Christian  service 
you  have  been  assigned.” 

This  farewell  is  in  my  own  hand,  from  Paul.  Remember 
that  I  am  in  prison.  God  bless  you. 


4: 14-18 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS 


Paul,  Silvanus,  and  Timothy  to  the  Thessalonian  church 
in  union  with  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  God 
bless  you  and  give  you  peace. 

We  always  thank  God  for  you  all  when  we  mention  you 
in  our  prayers,  for  we  can  never  forget  before  our  God  and 
Father  your  energetic  faith,  your  loving  service,  and  your 
unwavering  expectation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  we 
know,  brothers  whom  God  so  loves,  that  he  has  chosen  you, 
for  our  preaching  of  the  good  news  did  not  come  to  you  as 
mere  words  but  with  power  and  the  holy  Spirit  and  full  convic¬ 
tion — you  know  the  kind  of  life  we  lived  among  you  for  your 
good.  And  you  followed  the  example  set  by  us  and  by  the 
Lord,  for  though  our  message  brought  you  great  trouble,  you 
welcomed  it  with  joy  inspired  by  the  holy  Spirit,  so  that  you 
set  an  example  to  all  the  believers  in  Macedonia  and  Greece. 
For  the  Lord’s  message  has  rung  out  from  you  not  only  over 
Macedonia  and  Greece,  but  the  story  of  your  belief  in  God 
has  gone  everywhere,  so  that  we  never  need  to  mention  it. 
For  when  people  speak  of  us,  they  tell  what  a  welcome  you 
gave  us,  and  how  you  turned  from  idols  to  God,  to  serve  a  true 
and  living  God,  and  to  wait  for  the  coming  from  heaven  of  his 
Son,  whom  he  raised  from  the  dead — Jesus,  our  deliverer  from 
God’s  coming  wrath. 

You  know  yourselves,  brothers,  that  our  visit  to  you  was 
far  from  ineffectual.  We  had  just  been  through  ill-treatment 
and  insults  at  Philippi,  as  you  remember,  but,  in  the  face  of 
great  opposition,  we  took  courage  by  the  help  of  our  God,  and 
told  you  God’s  good  news.  For  our  appeal  does  not  rest  on  a 
delusion,  nor  spring  from  any  impure  motive;  there  is  no 
fraud  about  it.  God  has  thought  us  fit  to  be  intrusted  with 
the  good  news,  and  so  we  tell  it,  making  no  effort  to  please 
men,  but  to  please  God,  who  tests  our  hearts.  We  never 
used  flattery,  as  you  know,  or  found  pretexts  for  making 
money,  as  God  is  our  witness.  We  never  sought  praise  from 


i : 1-2:6 


382 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS  383 


men,  either  from  you  or  anyone  else,  though  as  Christ’s 
apostles  we  might  have  stood  on  our  dignity.  We  were 
children  when  we  were  with  you;  we  were  like  a  mother  nurs¬ 
ing  her  children.  That  was  the  kind  of  affection  we  had 
for  you,  which  made  us  ready  to  share  with  you  not  only 
God’s  good  news  but  our  own  lives  too,  because  you  were  so 
dear  to  us.  You  remember,  brothers,  how  we  toiled  and 
labored.  We  worked  night  and  day,  when  we  preached  the 
good  news  to  you,  in  order  not  to  be  a  burden  to  any  of  you. 
You  will  testify,  and  God  will,  how  pure  and  upright  and  irre¬ 
proachable  our  relations  were  with  you  who  believed.  You 
know  how,  like  a  father  with  his  children,  we  used  to  urge, 
encourage,  and  implore  you  to  make  your  lives  worthy  of  God 
who  invites  you  into  his  kingdom  and  his  glory. 

We  for  our  part  constantly  thank  God  for  another  reason 
too — because  when  you  received  God’s  message  from  our 
lips,  you  welcomed  it  not  as  the  message  of  men  but  as  the 
message  of  God,  as  it  really  is,  which  does  its  work  in  the  hearts 
of  you  believers.  For  you,  brothers,  followed  the  example  of 
God’s  churches  in  Judea  that  are  in  union  with  Christ  Jesus, 
for  you  in  your  turn  had  to  bear  the  same  ill-treatment  from 
your  neighbors  as  they  did  from  the  Jews,  who  killed  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  persecuted  the  prophets  and  us;  who  displease 
God,  and  in  their  hostility  to  all  mankind  try  to  keep  us  from 
speaking  to  the  heathen  so  that  they  may  be  saved,  so  as 
always  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  sins.  But  God’s  wrath 
has  overtaken  them  at  last! 

For  our  part,  brothers,  when  we  were  separated  from  you 
for  a  little  while — in  person,  though  not  in  spirit — we  were 
extremely  eager  and  longed  intensely  to  see  you.  For  we 
resolved  to  come  to  see  you — I,  Paul,  did  so  again  and  again — 
but  Satan  held  us  back.  For  what  hope  or  happiness  shall 
we  have  or  what  prize  to  be  proud  of  in  the  presence  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  when  he  comes,  except  you  ?  You  are  our 
pride  and  our  joy. 

So  when  I  could  not  bear  it  any  longer,  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  stay  behind  alone  at  Athens,  and  I  sent  my  brother 
Timothy,  a  servant  of  God  in  preaching  the  good  news  of  the 
Christ,  to  strengthen  you  in  your  faith  and  encourage  you 

217-3:2 


38  4 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


not  to  be  led  astray,  any  of  you,  in  all  these  troubles.  You 
know  yourselves  that  this  is  what  we  must  expect,  for  when 
we  were  with  you,  we  told  you  beforehand  that  we  were 
going  to  have  trouble,  and  it  came  true,  as  you  know.  That 
was  why,  when  I  could  not  bear  it  any  longer,  I  sent  to  find 
out  about  your  faith,  for  I  was  afraid  that  the  tempter  might 
have  tempted  you  and  all  our  labor  might  be  lost.  But  now 
that  Timothy  has  just  come  back  to  me  from  you,  and  brought 
me  good  news  of  your  faith  and  love,  and  told  me  how  kindly 
you  think  of  me  and  that  you  long  to  see  me  just  as  much  as 
I  long  to  see  you,  I  feel  encouraged,  brothers,  about  you,  in 
spite  of  all  my  distress  and  trouble,  at  your  faith,  for  now  I 
can  really  live,  since  you  are  standing  firm  in  the  Lord.  For 
how  can  I  thank  God  enough  for  you,  for  all  the  happiness 
you  make  me  feel  in  the  presence  of  our  God,  as  I  pray  night 
and  day  with  intense  earnestness  that  I  may  see  your  faces  and 
supply  what  is  lacking  in  your  faith? 

May  our  God  and  Father  himself  and  our  Lord  Jesus  open 
my  way  to  you !  May  the  Lord  make  your  love  for  one  another 
and  for  all  men  wide  and  full  like  my  love  for  you,  so  that  your 
hearts  may  be  strong  and  faultlessly  pure  in  the  sight  of  our 
God  and  Father,  when  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  appears  with  all 
his  saints! 

Now,  brothers,  we  ask  and  entreat  you,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  to  live  as  you  learned  from  us  that  you  must  live, 
to  please  God — as  indeed  you  are  doing,  only  do  it  more  and 
more.  For  you  remember  what  instructions  we  gave  you  on 
the  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

It  is  God’s  will  that  you  should  be  consecrated,  that  you 
abstain  from  immorality,  that  each  of  you  learn  to  take  a  wife 
for  himself  from  pure  and  honorable  motives,  not  to  gratify 
his  passion,  like  the  heathen  who  know  nothing  of  God.  No 
one  is  to  wrong  or  defraud  his  brother  in  this  matter,  for  the 
Lord  avenges  all  such  things,  as  we  told  you  before,  in  the  most 
solemn  terms.  God  has  not  called  us  to  an  unclean  life,  but 
to  a  pure  one.  So  whoever  disregards  this  is  not  disregarding 
man,  but  God,  who  gives  you  his  holy  Spirit. 

You  do  not  need  to  have  anyone  write  to  you  about 
brotherly  love,  for  you  have  yourselves  been  taught  by  God 

3:3-4:9 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS  385 


to  love  one  another,  and  you  are  doing  it  to  all  the  brothers 
all  over  Macedonia. 

But  we  do  entreat  you,  brothers,  to  surpass  yourselves 
in  striving  to  live  quietly  and  mind  your  own  affairs,  and  work 
with  your  hands,  as  we  directed  you,  so  that  you  may  have  the 
respect  of  the  outsiders,  and  not  be  dependent  upon  any¬ 
body. 

We  do  not  want  you  to  be  under  any  misapprehension, 
brothers,  about  those  who  are  falling  asleep.  You  must 
not  grieve  for  them,  as  others  do  who  have  no  hope.  For  if 
we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  then  by  means  of 
Jesus  God  will  bring  back  with  him  those  who  have  fallen 
asleep.  For  we  can  assure  you,  on  the  Lord’s  own  authority, 
that  those  of  us  who  will  still  be  living  when  the  Lord  comes 
will  have  no  advantage  over  those  who  have  fallen  asleep. 
For  the  Lord  himself,  at  the  summons,  when  the  archangel 
calls  and  God’s  trumpet  sounds,  will  come  down  from  heaven, 
and  first  those  who  died  in  union  with  Christ  will  rise;  then 
those  of  us  who  are  still  living  will  be  caught  up  with  them 
on  clouds  into  the  air  to  meet  the  Lord,  and  so  we  shall  be 
with  the  Lord  forever.  Therefore,  encourage  one  another 
with  this  truth. 

But  as  to  times  and  dates,  brothers,  you  do  not  need  to 
have  anyone  write  to  you,  for  you  yourselves  know  perfectly 
well  that  the  Day  of  the  Lord  is  to  come  like  a  thief  in  the 
night.  When  people  say,  “What  peace  and  security!”  then 
suddenly  destruction  will  be  upon  them,  like  birth-pains 
upon  a  woman  about  to  give  birth  to  a  child,  and  there  will  be 
no  escape.  But  you  are  not  in  darkness,  brothers,  so  .that 
that  Day  should  surprise  you  like  thieves.  You  all  belong  to 
the  light  and  the  day.  We  have  nothing  to  do  with  night  or 
with  darkness.  So  we  must  not  sleep  like  other  men,  but  we 
must  be  vigilant  and  composed.  For  those  who  sleep  sleep  at 
night  and  those  who  get  drunk  do  so  at  night,  but  we  who 
belong  to  the  day  must  be  composed,  wearing  faith  and  love 
for  a  coat  of  mail,  and  helmeted  with  the  hope  of  salvation. 
For  God  has  not  destined  us  for  his  wrath,  but  to  gain  salva¬ 
tion  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us  so  that 
whether  we  are  still  alive  or  fall  asleep  we  may  live  with  him. 

4: 10-5:10 


386 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Therefore  encourage  one  another  and  strengthen  one  another, 
just  as  you  are  doing. 

We  beg  you,  brothers,  to  respect  those  who  work  with  you 
and  who  lead  you  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and  teach  you. 
Hold  them  in  the  highest  esteem  and  affection  for  what  they 
do.  Live  at  peace  with  one  another.  We  beg  you,  brothers, 
warn  the  idlers,  cheer  up  the  despondent,  keep  hold  of  the 
weak,  be  patient  with  everybody.  Take  care  that  none  of  you 
ever  pays  back  evil  for  evil,  but  always  try  to  treat  one 
another  and  everybody  with  kindness.  Always  be  joyful. 
Never  give  up  praying.  Thank  God  whatever  happens.  For 
this  is  what  God  through  Christ  Jesus  wants  you  to  do.  Do 
not  stifle  the  Spirit.  Do  not  disregard  the  utterances  it 
inspires,  but  test  them  all,  retaining  what  is  good  and  avoiding 
every  kind  of  evil. 

May  God  himself,  the  giver  of  peace,  consecrate  you 
through  and  through.  Spirit,  soul,  and  body,  may  you  be 
kept  sound,  and  be  found  irreproachable  when  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  comes.  He  who  calls  you  can  be  relied  on,  and  he 
will  do  this. 

Brothers,  pray  for  us. 

Greet  all  the  brothers  with  a  sacred  kiss.  I  charge  you 
in  the  Lord’s  name  to  have  this  letter  read  to  all  the  brothers. 

The  blessing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you. 


5:11-28 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS 


Paul,  Silvanus,  and  Timothy  to  the  Thessalonian  church 
in  union  with  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  you  and  give 
you  peace. 

We  always  have  to  thank  God  for  you,  brothers,  as  it  is 
right  that  we  should,  because  your  faith  is  growing  so  wonder¬ 
fully  and  the  love  of  every  one  of  you  for  one  another  is  increas¬ 
ing.  As  a  result,  we  ourselves  speak  of  you  with  pride  in  the 
churches  of  God  for  your  steadfastness  and  faith  in  the  face 
of  all  the  persecutions  and  troubles  you  are  having  to  endure. 
This  is  a  proof  of  God’s  justice  in  judging,  and  it  is  to  prove 
you  worthy  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  for  the  sake  of  which  you 
are  suffering,  since  God  considers  it  only  just  to  repay  with 
suffering  those  who  are  making  you  suffer  and  to  give  rest  to 
you  who  are  suffering  and  to  us,  when  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
appears  from  heaven,  with  his  mighty  angels  in  a  blaze  of  fire, 
and  takes  vengeance  on  the  godless  who  will  not  listen  to  the 
good  news  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  They  will  be  punished  with 
eternal  ruin  and  exclusion  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and 
his  glorious  might,  when  on  that  Day  he  comes  to  be  honored 
in  his  people,  and  wondered  at  in  all  who  believe  in  him — 
because  our  testimony  has  been  confirmed  in  you. 

To  this  end  we  always  pray  for  you  too,  asking  our  God 
to  find  you  worthy  of  the  call  he  has  given  you,  and  by  his 
power  to  fulfil  every  desire  you  may  have  for  goodness,  and 
every  effort  of  your  faith,  so  that  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
may  be  glorified  in  you  and  you  in  him,  by  the  blessing  of  our 
God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

As  to  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  brothers,  and 
our  assembling  to  meet  him,  we  beg  you  not  to  let  your  minds 
be  too  easily  unsettled  or  wrought  up,  by  any  message  of  the 
Spirit  or  any  utterance  or  letter  purporting  to  be  from  me,  to 
the  effect  that  the  Day  of  the  Lord  has  already  come.  You 
must  not  let  anyone  deceive  you  at  all.  For  that  is  not  until 

387 


111-2:3 


388 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  rebellion  takes  place  and  the  embodiment  of  disobedience 
makes  his  appearance — he  who  is  doomed  to  destruction,  the 
adversary  of  every  being  that  is  called  a  god  or  an  object  of 
worship,  and  so  overbearing  toward  them  as  to  enter  God’s 
sanctuary  and  take  his  seat  there,  proclaiming  himself  to  be 
God — do  you  not  remember  that  when  I  was  with  you,  I  used 
to  tell  you  this  ?  So  now  you  know  what  it  is  that  is  holding 
him  back  from  making  his  appearance  before  the  appointed 
time  arrives.  For  disobedience  is  already  secretly  at  work,  but 
only  until  he  who  is  now  holding  it  in  check  is  gotten  out  of  the 
way.  Then  the  embodiment  of  disobedience  will  make  his 
appearance,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  will  destroy  him  with  the 
breath  of  his  mouth  and  annihilate  him  by  his  appearance  and 
arrival.  The  other’s  appearance,  by  the  contrivance  of 
Satan,  will  be  full  of  power  and  pretended  signs  and  wonders, 
and  full  of  wicked  deception  for  men  who  are  going  to  destruc¬ 
tion,  because  they  refused  to  love  the  truth  and  be  saved. 
This  is  why  God  sends  upon  them  a  misleading  influence,  to 
make  them  believe  what  is  false,  so  that  all  who  have  refused 
to  believe  the  truth  but  have  preferred  disobedience  may  be 
condemned. 

We  always  have  to  thank  God  for  you,  brothers  whom  the 
Lord  so  loves,  because  God  chose  you  from  the  beginning  to 
be  saved  through  consecration  by  the  Spirit  and  through 
faith  in  the  truth,  and  called  you  to  it  through  our  preaching 
of  the  good  news,  so  that  you  may  share  in  the  glory  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  So  stand  firm,  brothers,  and  hold  fast 
to  the  instructions  you  have  received  from  us,  whether  by 
letter  or  by  word  of  mouth.  May  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
himself  and  God  our  Father,  who  has  loved  us  and  kindly 
given  us  unfailing  encouragement  and  a  well-founded  hope, 
encourage  you  and  strengthen  you  to  do  and  say  everything 
that  is  right. 

Now,  brothers,  pray  for  us,  that  the  Lord’s  message  may 
spread  rapidly  and  gloriously  as  it  did  among  you,  and  that 
we  may  be  saved  from  unjust  and  wicked  men;  for  not  every¬ 
body  has  faith. 

But  the  Lord  is  to  be  relied  on,  and  he  will  give  you 
strength  and  protect  you  from  the  evil  one.  We  have  faith  in 

214-3:4 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS  389 


you  through  the  Lord  that  you  are  doing  and  will  keep  doing 
what  we  direct  you  to  do.  May  the  Lord  guide  your  hearts 
into  a  sense  of  God’s  love  and  into  a  steadfastness  like 
Christ’s. 

We  charge  you,  brothers,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  keep  away  from  any  brother  who  lives  in  idleness, 
instead  of  following  the  teaching  you  received  from  us.  For 
you  know  yourselves  what  you  must  do  to  follow  my  example, 
for  I  was  not  idle  when  I  was  with  you;  I  did  not  eat  anybody’s 
bread  without  paying  for  it,  but  with  toil  and  labor  I  worked 
night  and  day,  in  order  not  to  be  a  burden  to  any  of  you.  Not 
that  I  had  not  a  right  to  my  support,  but  to  give  you  in  my  own 
conduct  an  example  to  imitate.  When  I  was  with  you,  I  gave 
you  this  rule:  “  If  anyone  refuses  to  work,  give  him  nothing  to 
eat !”  For  we  hear  that  some  of  you  are  living  in  idleness,  mere 
busybodies,  not  doing  any  work.  Now  with  the  authority 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  charge  and  exhort  such  people 
to  keep  quiet  and  do  their  work  and  earn  their  own  living. 
But  you,  brothers,  must  not  get  tired  of  doing  right.  If 
anyone  refuses  to  obey  what  we  have  said  in  this  letter, 
mark  the  man  and  do  not  have  anything  to  do  with  him,  to 
make  him  feel  ashamed.  Do  not  look  upon  him  as  an  enemy 
but  warn  him  as  a  brother.  And  may  the  Lord  of  peace 
himself  always  give  you  peace  in  every  way.  The  Lord  be 
with  you  all. 

This  greeting  is  in  my  own  hand,  Paul’s;  it  is  the  mark  in 
every  letter  of  mine.  This  is  the  way  I  write.  The  blessing 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 


3:5-18 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


Paul,  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  by  order  of  God  our  Savior 
and  of  Jesus  Christ  our  hope,  to  Timothy,  my  true  child  in 
faith;  God  the  Father  and  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  bless  you 
and  be  merciful  to  you,  and  give  you  peace. 

As  I  asked  you  to  do  when  I  was  on  my  way  to  Macedonia, 
stay  on  in  Ephesus  in  order  to  warn  certain  people  there  not 
to  teach  strange  views  nor  to  devote  themselves  to  fictions 
and  interminable  pedigrees;  such  things  lead  to  controversy 
instead  of  the  divine  system  which  operates  through  faith. 
The  aim  of  your  instruction  must  be  love  that  springs  from  a 
pure  heart  and  from  a  good  conscience  and  from  a  sincere  faith. 
Some  people  have  failed  in  these  things  and  been  diverted  into 
fruitless  talk.  They  would  like  to  be  teachers  of  law  although 
they  do  not  understand  the  words  they  use  or  the  matters 
they  insist  upon. 

I  agree  that  the  Law  is  excellent — provided  it  is  legiti¬ 
mately  used,  with  the  understanding  that  law  is  not  intended 
for  upright  men  but  for  the  lawless  and  disorderly,  the  godless 
and  irreligious,  the  irreverent  and  profane,  men  who  kill  their 
fathers  or  mothers,  murderers,  immoral  people,  men  sexually 
perverted,  kidnappers,  liars,  perjurers,  or  whatever  else  is 
contrary  to  sound  teaching,  as  set  forth  in  the  glorious  good 
news  of  the  blessed  God  with  which  I  have  been  intrusted. 

I  thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  who  has  given  me  the 
strength  for  it,  for  thinking  me  trustworthy  and  putting  me 
into  his  service,  though  I  once  used  to  abuse,  persecute,  and 
insult  him.  But  he  had  mercy  on  me,  because  I  had  acted  in 
ignorance  and  unbelief,  and  the  blessing  of  our  Lord  has  been 
given  me  in  the  greatest  abundance,  together  with  faith  and 
love  that  union  with  Christ  Jesus  brings.  It  is  a  trustworthy 
saying,  entitled  to  the  fullest  acceptance,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  And  I  am  the  foremost 
of  them,  but  God  had  mercy  on  me  in  order  that  in  my  case 
as  the  foremost,  Christ  Jesus  might  display  his  perfect 


i :  i- 1 6 


39° 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


39i 


patience,  as  an  example  to  those  who  would  later  believe  in 
him  and  find  eternal  life.  To  the  eternal  King,  immortal 
and  invisible,  the  one  God,  be  honor  and  glory  forever 
and  ever!  Amen. 

These  are  the  instructions  that  I  intrust  to  you,  my 
son  Timothy,  and  they  are  in  accordance  with  the  predictions 
made  long  ago  about  you.  Fight  the  good  fight  with  their 
aid,  keeping  hold  of  faith  and  a  good  conscience.  For  some 
people  have  let  that  go  and  have  had  their  faith  ruined,  like 
Hymenaeus  and  Alexander,  whom  I  turned  over  to  Satan, 
to  be  taught  not  to  blaspheme. 

First  of  all,  then,  I  urge  that  entreaties,  prayers,  petitions, 
and  thanksgivings  be  offered  for  all  men,  for  emperors  and  all 
who  are  in  authority,  so  that  we  may  live  tranquil,  quiet  lives, 
with  perfect  piety  and  probity.  It  is  right  to  do  this,  and  it 
pleases  God  our  Savior,  who  wants  all  men  to  be  saved  and  to 
come  to  know  the  truth. 

For  there  is  but  one  God,  and  one  intermediary  between 
God  and  men — the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave  himself  as  a 
ransom  for  all  men.  This  is  what  was  testified  to  at  the 
proper  times,  and  I  was  appointed  a  herald  and  apostle  of  it 
— I  am  telling  the  truth,  I  am  not  lying — to  teach  the  heathen 
faith  and  truth. 

I  want  the  men  everywhere  to  offer  prayer,  lifting  to 
heaven  hands  that  are  holy,  without  any  angry  disputes. 
Women  for  their  part  are  to  dress  modestly  and  sensibly  in 
proper  clothes,  not  adorning  themselves  by  braiding  their  hair 
or  with  gold  or  pearls  or  expensive  clothing,  but,  as  is  appro¬ 
priate  for  women  who  profess  to  be  religious,  with  good  actions. 

Women  must  listen  quietly  in  church  and  be  perfectly 
submissive.  I  do  not  allow  women  to  teach  or  to  domineer 
over  men;  they  must  keep  quiet.  For  Adam  was  formed 
first,  and  then  Eve;  and  it  was  not  Adam  who  was  deceived, 
it  was  the  woman  who  was  deluded  and  fell  into  sin.  But 
they  will  be  saved  through  motherhood,  if  they  continue  to 
have  faith  and  to  be  loving  and  holy,  and  sensible  as  well. 
This  is  a  trustworthy  saying. 

Whoever  aspires  to  the  office  of  superintendent  sets  his 
heart  on  a  fine  work.  A  superintendent  must  be  a  man  above 


1:17-3:2 


392 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


reproach,  only  once  married,  temperate,  sensible,  a  man  of 
good  behavior,  hospitable,  able  to  teach;  not  addicted  to 
drink  or  pugnacious,  but  a  man  of  moderation  and  peace, 
not  avaricious,  managing  his  own  house  well,  and  keeping 
his  children  under  control  and  perfectly  respectful — for  if  a 
man  does  not  know  how  to  conduct  his  own  household,  how 
can  he  look  after  a  church  of  God  ?  He  must  not  be  a  new 
convert,  or  he  may  grow  conceited  and  incur  criticism  from 
slanderous  people.  He  must  also  be  a  man  of  good  standing 
with  outsiders,  or  he  may  get  into  disgrace  and  be  entrapped 
by  the  slanderers.  Assistants,  in  turn,  must  be  serious, 
straightforward  men,  not  addicted  to  wine  or  dishonest  gain, 
but  holding  the  divine  truth  of  the  faith  with  a  clear  con¬ 
science.  They  should  first  be  tested,  and  afterward,  if  there 
is  no  fault  to  be  found  with  them,  they  can  serve  as  assistants. 
Their  wives  too  must  be  serious,  not  gossips;  they  must  be 
temperate,  and  perfectly  trustworthy.  The  assistants  must 
be  only  once  married,  and  manage  their  children  and  their 
households  well.  For  those  who  do  good  service  as  assistants 
gain  a  good  standing  for  themselves  and  great  confidence  in 
their  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

I  hope  to  come  to  you  soon,  but  I  am  writing  you  all  this 
so  that  if  I  am  delayed,  you  may  know  how  we  are  to  conduct 
ourselves  in  the  household  of  God,  for  it  is  the  church  of  the 
living  God,  the  pillar  and  foundation  of  the  truth.  No  one 
can  deny  the  profundity  of  the  divine  truth  of  our  religion! 

“He  was  revealed  in  flesh, 

He  was  vindicated  by  the  Spirit, 

He  was  seen  by  the  angels. 

He  was  proclaimed  among  the  heathen. 

He  was  believed  in  throughout  the  world, 

He  was  taken  up  into  glory.” 

The  Spirit  distinctly  says  that  in  later  times  some  will  turn 
away  from  the  faith,  and  devote  their  attention  to  deceitful 
spirits  and  the  things  that  demons  teach  through  the  pre¬ 
tensions  of  liars — men  with  seared  consciences  who  forbid 
people  to  marry  and  insist  on  abstinence  from  certain  kinds  of 
.  food  that  God  created  for  men  who  believe  and  understand 
the  truth  to  enjoy  and  give  thanks  for.  For  everything  God 

3  *3-4: 4 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


393 


has  created  is  good,  and  nothing  need  be  refused,  provided  it 
is  accepted  with  thanksgiving,  for  then  it  is  consecrated 
by  prayer  and  the  Scripture  used  in  it. 

If  you  point  this  out  to  the  brothers,  you  will  be  a  good 
servant  of  Christ  Jesus,  living  on  the  principles  of  the  faith 
and  the  excellent  teaching  you  have  had.  But  let  worldly 
fictions  and  old  wives’  tales  alone.  Train  yourself  for  the 
religious  life.  Physical  training  is  of  some  service,  but 
religion  is  of  service  in  every  way,  for  it  carries  with  it  the 
promise  of  life  here  and  hereafter.  This  is  a  trustworthy 
saying,  entitled  to  the  fullest  acceptance.  It  is  for  this 
that  we  toil  and  struggle,  for  we  have  fixed  our  hopes  on  the 
living  God,  the  Savior  of  all  men,  especially  those  who 
believe. 

This  is  what  you  must  urge  and  teach.  Let  no  one 
look  down  on  you  because  you  are  young,  but  set  those  who 
believe  an  example  in  speech,  conduct,  love,  faith,  and  purity. 
Until  I  come,  devote  yourself  to  the  public  reading  of  Scrip¬ 
ture,  preaching,  and  teaching.  Do  not  neglect  the  gift  you 
have,  that  was  given  you  with  predictions  of  your  work,  when 
the  elders  laid  their  hands  upon  you.  Cultivate  these 
things,  devote  yourself  to  them,  so  that  everyone  will  see  your 
progress.  Look  out  for  yourself  and  for  your  teaching. 
Persevere  in  your  work,  for  if  you  do  you  will  save  both 
yourself  and  those  who  listen  to  you. 

Never  reprove  an  older  man,  but  appeal  to  him  as  to  a 
father.  Treat  younger  men  like  brothers,  older  women  like 
mothers,  younger  ones  like  sisters,  with  absolute  purity. 
Look  after  widows  who  are  really  dependent.  If  a  widow 
has  children  or  grandchildren,  let  them  learn  first  to  show 
piety  in  the  treatment  of  their  own  families,  and  to  return 
the  care  of  those  who  brought  them  up,  for  that  is  what  God 
approves  But  a  woman  who  is  really  a  widow,  and  has  no 
children,  has  fixed  her  hope  on  God,  and  devotes  herself  to 
prayers  and  entreaties  night  and  day.  A  widow  who  gives 
herself  up  to  pleasure  is  dead  while  she  is  still  alive.  Insist 
upon  these  points,  so  that  people  may  be  irreproachable. 
Whoever  fails  to  provide  for  his  own  relatives,  and  particularly 
for  members  of  his  own  family,  has  disowned  the  faith  and  is 

4:5-518 


394 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


worse  than  an  unbeliever.  No  one  under  sixty  years  of  age 
should  be  put  on  the  list  of  widows.  A  widow  must  have  been 
married  but  once,  and  have  a  good  reputation  for  Christian 
service,  such  as  bringing  up  children,  being  hospitable  to 
strangers,  washing  the  feet  of  God’s  people,  helping  people  in 
distress,  or  devoting  herself  to  any  form  of  doing  good.  Do 
not  put  young  women  on  the  list  of  widows,  for  when  their 
youthful  vigor  comes  between  them  and  Christ,  they  want  to 
marry,  and  become  guilty  of  breaking  their  previous  pledge. 
Besides,  as  they  go  about  from  house  to  house  they  learn  to 
be  idle,  and  not  only  idle  but  gossips  and  busybodies,  and 
talk  of  things  they  ought  not  to  mention.  So  I  would  have 
young  women  marry  and  have  children  and  keep  house  and 
avoid  giving  our  opponents  any  excuse  for  abusing  us.  For 
some  widows  have  already  turned  aside  to  follow  Satan.  Any 
Christian  woman  who  has  widowed  relatives  should  look  after 
them,  and  relieve  the  church,  so  that  it  can  look  after  widows 
who  are  really  dependent. 

Elders  who  do  their  duties  well  should  be  considered  as 
deserving  twice  as  much  as  they  get,  particularly  those  who 
work  at  preaching  and  teaching.  For  the  Scripture  says, 
“You  must  not  muzzle  an  ox  when  it  is  treading  out  the 
grain,”  and  the  workman  deserves  his  wages.  Do  not  listen 
to  an  accusation  made  against  an  elder,  unless  it  is  supported 
by  two  or  three  witnesses.  Those  who  are  found  guilty  you 
must  reprove  publicly,  as  a  warning  to  others.  I  charge  you 
before  God  and  Christ  Jesus  and  the  chosen  angels  to  observe 
these  rules  without  any  discrimination,  and  to  be  perfectly 
impartial.  Never  ordain  anyone  hastily;  do  not  make  your¬ 
self  responsible  for  the  sins  of  others;  keep  your  life  pure. 
Stop  drinking  nothing  but  water;  take  a  little  wine  for  the 
good  of  your  digestion  and  for  your  frequent  attacks  of  illness. 
Some  men’s  sins  are  perfectly  evident,  and  lead  them  right  on 
to  judgment,  but  there  are  others  whose  sins  only  dog  their 
steps.  Good  deeds  too  are  evident  enough,  or  when  they  are 
not,  they  cannot  be  wholly  concealed. 

All  who  are  under  the  yoke  of  slavery  must  treat  their 
masters  with  the  greatest  respect,  so  that  the  name  of  God 
and  our  teaching  may  not  be  abused.  Those  who  have  Chris- 

5 :  g~6 :  a 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


395 


tian  masters  must  not  think  lightly  of  them  because  they 
are  brothers;  they  must  serve  them  all  the  more  faithfully, 
because  those  who  benefit  by  it  are  believers  and  hence  dear 
to  them. 

These  are  the  things  you  must  teach  and  preach.  Anyone 
who  teaches  different  views  and  does  not  agree  with  the  whole¬ 
some  instruction  which  comes  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  with  religious  teaching  is  a  conceited,  ignorant  person, 
with  a  morbid  craving  for  speculations  and  arguments  which 
result  only  in  envy,  quarreling,  abuse,  base  suspicions,  and 
mutual  irritation  between  people  of  depraved  minds,  who  are 
lost  to  the  truth  and  think  of  religion  only  as  a  means  of  gain. 
And  religion  with  contentment  is  a  great  means  of  gain. 
For  we  bring  nothing  into  the  world,  and  we  can  take  nothing 
out  of  it.  If  we  have  food  and  clothing  we  will  be  satisfied. 
But  men  who  want  to  get  rich  fall  into  temptations  and  snares 
and  many  foolish,  harmful  cravings,  that  plunge  people  into 
destruction  and  ruin.  For  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all 
the  evils,  and  in  their  eagerness  to  get  rich,  some  men  wander 
away  from  the  faith  and  pierce  themselves  to  the  heart  with 
many  a  pang. 

But  you,  man  of  God,  must  fly  from  these  things.  Strive 
for  uprightness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  steadfastness,  gentle¬ 
ness.  Enter  the  great  contest  of  faith!  Take  hold  of  eternal 
life,  to  which  God  called  you,  when  before  many  witnesses  you 
made  the  great  profession  of  faith.  Before  God  who  maintains 
all  life,  and  before  Christ  Jesus  who  in  testifying  before  Pontius 
Pilate  made  his  great  profession,  I  charge  you  to  keep  his  com¬ 
mand  stainless  and  irreproachable  until  the  appearance  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  will  be  brought  about  in  his  own  time 
by  the  blessed,  only  Sovereign,  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord 
of  lords,  who  alone  possesses  immortality  and  dwells  in 
unapproachable  light,  whom  no  man  has  ever  seen  or  can  see. 
To  him  be  honor  and  eternal  dominion.  Amen. 

Charge  the  rich  of  this  world  not  to  be  arrogant,  nor  to 
set  their  hopes  on  such  an  uncertain  thing  as  riches,  but  on 
God  who  richly  provides  us  with  everything  for  our  enjoy¬ 
ment.  Charge  them  to  do  good,  to  be  rich  in  good  deeds, 
open-handed  and  generous,  storing  up  a  valuable  treasure  for 

6:3-19 


396 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


themselves  for  the  future,  so  as  to  grasp  the  life  that  is  life 
indeed. 

Timothy,  guard  what  has  been  intrusted  to  you.  Keep 
away  from  the  worldly,  empty  phrases  and  contradictions  of 
what  they  falsely  call  knowledge,  through  professing  which 
some  people  have  made  a  failure  of  the  faith.  God  bless 
you  all. 


6:20-121 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


Paul,  by  God’s  will  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  in 
fulfilment  of  the  promise  of  that  life  which  is  found  in  union 
with  Christ  Jesus,  to  my  dear  child  Timothy;  God  the  Father 
and  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  bless  you  and  be  merciful  to  you 
and  give  you  peace. 

I  thank  God,  whom  I,  like  my  forefathers,  worship  with  a 
clear  conscience,  when  I  remember  you,  as  I  constantly  do, 
in  my  prayers.  When  I  remember  the  tears  you  shed  I  long 
night  and  day  to  see  you  again,  and  have  the  perfect  happiness 
of  being  reminded  of  your  genuine  faith,  a  faith  that  was 
seen  first  in  your  grandmother  Lois  and  in  your  mother 
Eunice;  I  am  sure  it  is  in  you  also.  For  this  reason  I  would 
remind  you  to  rekindle  the  divine  gift  that  you  received  when 
I  laid  my  hands  upon  you.  For  the  Spirit  God  has  given  us 
is  a  spirit  not  of  timidity  but  of  power,  love,  and  self-discipline. 
So  you  must  not  be  ashamed  to  testify  to  our  Lord,  nor  be 
ashamed  of  me  who  am  in  prison  for  his  sake,  but  join  with  me 
in  suffering  for  the  good  news,  through  the  power  of  God. 
He  saved  us  and  called  us  to  a  consecrated  life,  not  for 
anything  we  had  done,  but  of  his  own  accord  and  out  of  the 
mercy  which  he  bestowed  upon  us  ages  ago  through  Christ 
Jesus,  which  has  now  been  revealed  through  the  appearance 
of  our  Savior  Christ  Jesus.  He  has  taken  away  the  power 
of  death  and  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through 
the  good  news,  of  which  I  have  been  appointed  a  herald, 
apostle,  and  teacher.  This  is  why  I  am  suffering  as  I  am,  but 
I  am  not  ashamed  of  it,  for  I  know  whom  I  have  trusted  and 
I  am  sure  that  he  is  able  to  guard  what  I  have  intrusted  to  him 
for  that  Day.  As  your  example  in  wholesome  instruction, 
keep  before  you  what  you  learned  from  me,  in  the  faith  and 
love  that  come  through  union  v/ith  Christ  Jesus.  Guard  that 
splendid  trust  through  the  holy  Spirit  that  lives  in  our  hearts. 

You  know  that  everyone  in  the  province  of  Asia  has 
deserted  me,  including  Phygelus  and  Hermogenes.  May 


397 


i :  i— 16 


398 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  Lord  show  mercy  to  the  household  of  Onesiphorus,  for  he 
often  cheered  me  and  was  not  ashamed  of  my  being  in  prison. 
Why,  when  he  arrived  in  Rome,  he  took  pains  to  inquire  for 
me  and  found  me.  The  Lord  grant  that  he  may  be  shown 
mercy  by  the  Lord  on  that  Day!  And  you  know  well  enough 
how  he  helped  me  at  Ephesus. 

So  you,  my  son,  must  find  strength  in  the  blessing  that 
comes  through  Christ  Jesus.  The  things  you  learned  from  me 
before  many  witnesses  you  must  commit  to  trustworthy  men 
who  will  be  capable  of  teaching  others.  Share  my  hardships 
like  a  good  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus.  Anyone  who  is  in  the 
army  keeps  from  being  involved  in  business  affairs,  so  as  to 
please  the  officer  who  enlisted  him.  No  one  who  competes 
in  the  games  is  awarded  a  crown  unless  he  obeys  the  rules. 
The  farmer  who  does  the  work  ought  to  be  the  first  to  have 
some  of  the  produce.  Think  over  what  I  say.  For  the 
Lord  will  help  you  to  understand  it  perfectly.  Remember 
Jesus  Christ  as  risen  from  the  dead,  and  descended  from 
David,  as  I  preach  the  good  news,  for  the  sake  of  which  I 
even  suffer  imprisonment  as  a  criminal.  But  God’s  message 
is  not  imprisoned!  For  that  reason  I  am  ready  to  submit  to 
anything  for  the  sake  of  those  whom  God  has  chosen,  so  that 
they  too  may  gain  the  salvation  that  comes  through  Christ 
Jesus  and  brings  eternal  glory.  How  true  those  words  are! 
“If  we  have  died  with  him,  we  will  live  with  him!  If  we 
endure,  we  will  reign  with  him!  If  we  disown  him,  he  will 
also  disown  us!  If  we  are  unfaithful,  he  will  remain  faithful, 
for  he  cannot  be  false  to  himself!” 

Remind  men  of  these  things.  Charge  them  before  God 
to  avoid  idle  arguments  which  do  no  one  any  good  and  only 
bring  destruction  on  those  who  listen  to  them.  Do  your  best 
to  win  God’s  approval  as  a  workman  who  has  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of,  but  rightly  shapes  the  message  of  truth.  Leave 
worldly,  empty  phrases  alone,  for  they  lead  people  deeper 
and  deeper  into  godlessness,  and  their  teaching  spreads  like 
a  cancer;  men  like  Hymenaeus  and  Philetus,  who  have  missed 
the  truth  and  say  that  the  resurrection  has  taken  place 
already,  thus  undermining  people’s  faith.  Yet  God’s  solid 
foundation  stands  unshaken,  bearing  this  inscription,  “The 

1:17-2:19 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY  399 


Lord  knows  those  who  belong  to  him,”  and  “Everyone  who 
uses  the  name  of  the  Lord  must  give  up  evil.”  In  any  large 
house  there  are  not  only  gold  and  silver  dishes  but  also  wooden 
and  earthen  ones,  some  for  great  occasions  and  some  for  ordi¬ 
nary  use.  So  if  a  man  will  cleanse  himself  from  these  things,  he 
will  be  put  to  great  uses,  consecrated  and  used  by  the  master 
of  the  house  himself,  and  ready  for  any  good  use.  Fly  from 
the  cravings  of  youth,  and  go  in  pursuit  of  uprightness,  faith, 
love,  and  peace,  in  company  with  those  who  call  upon  the 
Lord  with  pure  hearts.  Avoid  foolish,  crude  speculations;  you 
know  they  only  lead  to  quarrels,  and  a  slave  of  the  Lord  must 
not  quarrel,  but  treat  everyone  kindly;  he  must  be  persuasive 
and  unresentful,  correcting  his  opponents  with  gentleness; 
for  God  may  possibly  let  them  repent  and  acknowledge  the 
truth,  and  they  may  yet  return  to  their  senses  and  escape 
from  the  toils  of  the  devil,  who  has  caught  them  to  make 
them  do  his  will. 

Understand  this,  that  in  the  last  days  there  are  going  to 
be  hard  times.  People  will  be  selfish,  avaricious,  boastful, 
arrogant,  abusive,  undutiful,  ungrateful,  irreverent,  unfeel¬ 
ing,  irreconcilable,  slanderous,  with  no  self-control,  brutal, 
with  no  love  for  what  is  good,  treacherous,  reckless,  conceited, 
caring  more  for  pleasure  than  for  God,  keeping  up  the  forms  of 
religion,  but  resisting  its  influence.  Avoid  such  people.  They 
are  the  kind  of  men  who  make  their  way  into  people’s  houses 
and  make  captives  of  poor,  weak  women,  loaded  down  with 
their  sins  and  under  the  control  of  all  sorts  of  impulses,  always 
ready  to  learn  but  never  able  to  comprehend  the  truth.  Just 
as  Jannes  and  Jambres  opposed  Moses,  these  people  in  turn 
oppose  the  truth;  they  are  men  of  depraved  minds  and 
counterfeit  faith.  But  they  will  not  make  much  progress,  for 
everyone  will  perceive  their  folly,  just  as  they  did  that  of  those 
others.  But  you  have  closely  followed  my  teaching,  my 
conduct,  my  aim,  my  faith,  my  patience,  my  love,  my 
steadfastness,  my  persecutions,  my  sufferings — the  things  that 
happened  to  me  at  Antioch,  Iconium,  and  Lystra,  the  persecu¬ 
tions  I  endured;  yet  the  Lord  brought  me  safely  out  of  them 
all.  But  everyone  who  wants  to  live  a  godly  life  as  a  follower 
of  Christ  Jesus  will  be  persecuted,  and  bad  men  and  impostors 


2:20^3:13 


400 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


will  go  on  from  bad  to  worse,  deceiving  others  and  deceived 
themselves.  But  you  must  stand  by  what  you  have  learned 
and  been  convinced  of,  and  remember  from  whom  you 
learned  it,  and  how  from  childhood  you  have  known  the 
Scriptures  which  can  give  you  the  wisdom  that  through  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus  leads  to  salvation.  All  Scripture  is  divinely 
inspired,  and  useful  in  teaching,  in  reproof,  in  correcting 
faults,  and  in  training  in  uprightness,  so  that  the  man  of  God 
will  be  adequate,  and  equipped  for  any  good  work. 

I  charge  you  in  the  sight  of  God  and  Christ  Jesus  who  is  to 
judge  the  living  and  the  dead,  and  by  his  appearing  and  his 
kingdom,  preach  the  message;  be  at  it  in  season  and  out  of 
season;  convince,  reprove,  exhort  people,  with  perfect 
patience  and  willingness  to  teach.  For  a  time  will  come  when 
they  will  not  listen  to  wholesome  instruction,  but  will  over¬ 
whelm  themselves  with  teachers  to  suit  their  whims  and  tickle 
their  fancies,  and  they  will  turn  from  listening  to  the  truth 
and  wander  off  after  fictions.  But  you  must  always  be 
composed;  do  not  shrink  from  hardship;  do  your  work  as  a 
missionary,  and  your  whole  duty  as  a  minister. 

My  life  is  already  being  poured  out,  and  the  time  has  come 
for  my  departure.  I  have  had  a  part  in  the  great  contest, 
I  have  run  my  race,  I  have  preserved  the  faith.  Now  the 
crown  of  uprightness  awaits  me,  which  the  Lord,  the  upright 
judge,  will  award  me  on  that  Day,  and  not  only  me  but  also 
all  who  have  loved  and  hoped  for  his  appearing. 

Do  your  best  to  come  to  me  soon,  for  Demas  has  deserted 
me  for  love  of  the  present  world,  and  has  gone  to  Thessalonica. 
Crescens  has  gone  to  Galatia,  and  Titus  to  Dalmatia.  No  one 
but  Luke  is  with  me.  Get  Mark  and  bring  him  with  you, 
for  he  is  of  great  assistance  to  me,  and  I  have  sent  Tychicus 
to  Ephesus.  When  you  come,  bring  the  cloak  that  I  left  with 
Carpus  at  Troas,  and  the  books,  especially  the  parchments. 
Alexander,  the  metal-worker,  did  me  a  great  deal  of  harm. 
The  Lord  will  repay  him  for  what  he  did.  You  too  must  be 
on  your  guard  against  him,  for  he  vehemently  opposed  my 
teaching.  At  my  first  appearance  in  court  no  one  came  to 
help  me;  everybody  deserted  me.  May  no  one  lay  it  up 
against  them!  But  the  Lord  stood  by  me,  and  gave  me 

3:14-4:17 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  TO  TIMOTHY 


strength,  so  that  I  might  make  a  full  presentation  of  the 
message  and  let  all  the  heathen  hear  it.  So  I  was  saved  from 
the  jaws  of  the  lion.  The  Lord  will  rescue  me  from  any  harm 
and  bring  me  safely  to  his  heavenly  kingdom.  To  him  be 
glory  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

Remember  me  to  Prisca  and  Aquila,  and  to  the  members 
of  the  household  of  Onesiphorus.  Erastus  stayed  in  Corinth. 
I  left  Trophimus  sick  at  Miletus.  Do  your  best  to  come 
before  winter. 

Eubulus  wishes  to  be  remembered  to  you,  and  so  do 
Pudens,  Linus,  Claudia,  and  all  the  brothers. 

The  Lord  be  with  your  spirit.  God  bless  you  all. 


4:18-22 


THE  LETTER  TO  TITUS 


Paul,  a  slave  of  God,  and  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
arouse  faith  in  those  whom  God  has  chosen,  and  the  com¬ 
prehension  of  religious  truth,  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  which 
God  who  never  lies  promised  ages  ago  and  revealed  at  the 
proper  time  in  his  message,  through  the  preaching  with  which 
I  have  been  intrusted  at  the  command  of  God  our  Savior, 
to  Titus,  my  true  child  in  our  common  faith;  God  our 
Father  and  Christ  Jesus  our  Savior  bless  you  and  give  you 
peace. 

I  left  you  behind  in  Crete  expressly  to  correct  what  defects 
there  were,  and  to  appoint  elders  in  each  town,  as  I  directed 
you — men  of  irreproachable  character,  who  have  been  married 
only  once,  whose  children  are  Christians,  free  from  any  sus¬ 
picion  of  profligacy  or  disobedience.  For  as  God’s  overseer 
a  superintendent  must  be  irreproachable,  not  arrogant  or 
quick-tempered  or  given  to  drink  or  pugnacious  or  addicted 
to  dishonest  gain,  but  hospitable,  a  lover  of  goodness,  sensible, 
upright,  of  holy  life,  self-controlled,  standing  by  the  message 
that  can  be  relied  on,  just  as  he  was  taught  it,  so  that  he  may  be 
qualified  both  to  encourage  others  with  wholesome  teaching 
and  to  show  the  error  of  those  who  oppose  him. 

For  there  are  many  undisciplined  people,  who  deceive 
themselves  with  their  empty  talk,  especially  those  of  the  party 
of  circumcision.  They  must  be  silenced,  for  such  men  upset 
whole  households  by  teaching  things  they  ought  not  to  teach, 
for  the  sake  of  dishonest  gain.  It  was  a  Cretan,  a  prophet  of 
their  own,  who  said, 

“Cretans  are  always  liars,  savage  brutes,  lazy  gluttons,” 
and  that  statement  is  true.  Therefore  correct  them  rigorously, 
to  make  them  have  a  healthy  faith  and  not  study  Jewish 
fictions  or  commands  given  by  men  who  reject  the  truth. 
To  the  pure  everything  is  pure,  but  to  the  evil-minded  and 
unbelieving  nothing  is  pure,  but  their  very  minds  and  con¬ 
sciences  are  unclean.  They  profess  to  know  God,  but  they 

i :  1-16 


402 


THE  LETTER  TO  TITUS 


403 


disown  him  by  what  they  do;  they  are  detestable,  disobedient 
men,  worthless  for  any  good  purpose. 

But  you  must  teach  people  the  things  that  properly 
belong  to  wholesome  teaching.  Teach  the  older  men  to  be 
temperate,  serious,  and  sensible — men  of  vigorous  faith,  love, 
and  steadfastness.  Teach  the  older  women,  too,  to  be 
reverent  in  their  behavior,  and  not  to  gossip  or  be  slaves  of 
drink,  but  to  be  teachers  of  what  is  right,  so  as  to  train  the 
younger  women  to  be  loving  wives  and  mothers,  and  to  be 
sensible,  pure-minded,  domestic,  kind,  and  submissive  to  their 
husbands,  so  as  not  to  bring  reproach  on  God’s  message. 
Urge  the  younger  men,  too,  to  be  sensible.  In  every  way 
set  them  an  example  of  good  conduct  yourself.  Teach  with 
sincerity  and  seriousness,  and  present  a  wholesome,  unobjec¬ 
tionable  message,  so  that  your  opponent  may  be  put  to  shame 
at  finding  nothing  bad  to  say  about  us.  Tell  slaves  always 
to  obey  their  masters  and  try  to  please  them,  not  to  oppose 
them  or  steal  from  them,  but  to  show  such  perfect  good  faith 
as  to  do  credit  to  the  teaching  about  God  our  Savior,  by 
everything  they  do. 

For  God’s  mercy  has  appeared  and  brought  salvation  to 
all  men,  training  us  to  renounce  godless  ways  and  worldly 
passions,  and  live  serious,  upright,  and  godly  lives  in  this 
world,  while  we  wait  for  the  fulfilment  of  our  blessed  hope 
in  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  great  God  and  Savior  Christ 
Jesus.  He  gave  himself  for  us,  to  free  us  from  all  wickedness 
and  purify  for  himself  a  people  of  his  own,  eager  to  do  right. 

This  is  what  you  must  teach  and  urge  and  insist  upon 
with  full  authority.  No  one  is  to  look  down  on  you.  Remind 
men  to  accept  and  obey  the  constituted  authorities,  to  be 
ready  for  any  useful  service,  to  abuse  nobody,  to  be  peaceable 
and  reasonable,  showing  perfect  gentleness  to  everyone.  For 
we  ourselves  were  once  without  understanding,  disobedient, 
deluded,  enslaved  to  all  kinds  of  passions  and  pleasures. 
Our  minds  were  full  of  malice  and  envy.  Men  hated  us  and 
we  hated  one  another.  But  when  the  goodness  and  kindness 
of  God  our  Savior  were  revealed,  he  saved  us,  not  for  any 
upright  actions  we  had  performed,  but  from  his  own  mercy, 
through  the  bath  of  regeneration  and  renewal  by  the  holy 

211-3:5 


404 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Spirit,  which  he  has  poured  out  upon  us  abundantly  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Savior,  so  that  we  might  be  made  upright 
through  his  mercy  and  become  possessors  of  eternal  life  in 
fulfilment  of  our  hope.  This  is  a  trustworthy  teaching,  and 
I  want  you  to  insist  on  these  things,  so  that  those  who  believe 
in  God  may  make  it  their  business  to  do  good.  All  this  is 
right  and  beneficial  to  mankind.  But  have  nothing  to  do 
with  foolish  controversies,  pedigrees,  strife,  and  wrangles 
about  the  Law,  for  they  are  profitless  and  futile.  If  a  man  is 
inclined  to  a  sect,  after  warning  him  once  or  twice,  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  him.  You  may  be  sure  that  a  man 
of  that  kind  is  corrupt  and  sinful,  for  his  own  actions  condemn 
him. 

When  I  send  Artemas  or  Tychicus  to  you,  do  your  best  to 
come  to  me  at  Nicopolis,  for  I  have  decided  to  settle  there  for 
the  winter.  Do  all  you  can  to  help  Zenas  the  expert  in  the 
Law  and  Apollos  on  with  their  journey,  and  see  that  they  have 
everything  they  need.  Have  our  people  learn  to  make  it 
their  business  to  do  good,  so  as  to  meet  these  pressing  demands 
and  not  live  unfruitful  lives. 

All  who  are  with  me  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you. 
Remember  me  to  all  believers  who  love  me.  God  bless 
you  all. 


3:6-15 


THE  LETTER  TO  PHILEMON 


Paul,  a  prisoner  for  Jesus  Christ,  and  brother  Timothy, 
to  our  dear  fellow-worker  Philemon,  and  our  sister  Apphia, 
and  our  fellow-soldier  Archippus,  and  the  church  that  meets 
in  your  house;  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
bless  you  and  give  you  peace. 

I  never  mention  you  in  my  prayers  without  thanking  my 
God  for  what  I  hear  of  the  love  and  faith  you  have  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  all  his  people,  and  I  pray  that  through  coming 
to  know  every  good  thing  about  us  as  Christians  they  may 
effectually  share  your  faith.  I  have  been  greatly  pleased  and 
encouraged  over  your  love,  for  the  hearts  of  God’s  people  have 
been  cheered,  my  brother,  by  you. 

So  although  as  a  Christian  I  feel  quite  free  to  order  you  to 
do  what  ought  to  be  done,  I  prefer  to  appeal  to  you  in  the  name 
of  love,  simply  as  what  I  am — Paul,  once  an  envoy  of  Christ 
Jesus,  but  now  a  prisoner  for  him.  I  appeal  to  you  for  my 
child  Onesimus,  whose  father  I  have  become  here  in  prison. 
Once  you  found  him  useless,  but  now  he  has  become  useful  to 
you  and  to  me,  and  now  that  I  send  him  back  to  you,  it  is  like 
sending  my  very  heart.  I  would  have  liked  to  keep  him 
with  me,  to  wait  on  me  in  your  place  while  I  am  in  prison  for 
the  good  news,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  do  anything  without  your 
consent,  so  that  your  kindness  might  be  voluntary,  and  not 
have  the  appearance  of  compulsion.  For  perhaps  this  is  why 
you  and  he  were  parted  for  a  while,  that  you  might  have  him 
back  forever,  not  as  a  slave  any  longer  but  more  than  a  slave, 
a  dear  brother — dear  especially  to  me,  but  how  much  dearer 
to  you,  both  as  a  man  and  as  a  Christian!  So  if  you  regard 
me  as  a  comrade,  welcome  him  as  you  would  me.  And  if  he 
has  caused  you  any  loss  or  owes  you  anything,  charge  it  to  my 
account.  I,  Paul,  write  this  with  my  own  hand:  I  will  repay 
it — not  to  mention  the  fact  that  you  owe  me  your  very  self 
besides.  Come,  brother,  let  me  make  something  out  of  you, 
in  a  Christian  sense!  Cheer  my  heart  as  a  Christian. 


405 


1—20 


40  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


I  write  you  in  full  reliance  upon  your  obedience;  I  know 
that  you  will  do  even  more  than  I  ask.  And  get  ready  to 
entertain  me  too,  for  I  hope  that  I  shall  be  restored  to  you, 
in  answer  to  your  prayers. 

Epaphras,  my  fellow-prisoner  for  Christ  Jesus,  wishes  to 
be  remembered  to  you,  and  so  do  my  fellow-workers,  Mark, 
Aristarchus,  Demas,  and  Luke. 

The  blessing  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
spirits. 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


It  was  little  by  little  and  in  different  ways  that  God  spoke 
in  old  times  to  our  forefathers  through  the  prophets,  but  in 
these  latter  days  he  has  spoken  to  us  in  a  Son,  whom  he  had 
destined  to  possess  everything,  and  through  whom  he  had 
made  the  world.  He  is  the  reflection  of  God’s  glory,  and  the 
representation  of  his  being,  and  bears  up  the  universe  by  his 
mighty  word.  He  has  effected  man’s  purification  from  sin,  and 
has  taken  his  seat  on  high  at  the  right  hand  of  God’s  Majesty, 
showing  himself  to  be  as  much  greater  than  the  angels  as  his 
title  is  superior  to  theirs.  For  to  what  angel  did  God  ever  say, 
“You  are  my  Son!  I  have  today  become  your  Father”? 
Or  again, 

“I  will  become  his  Father,  and  he  shall  become  my  Son”  ? 
But  of  the  time  when  he  is  to  bring  his  firstborn  Son  back 
to  the  world  he  says, 

“And  let  all  God’s  angels  bow  before  him.” 

In  speaking  of  the  angels  he  says, 

“He  who  changes  his  angels  into  winds, 

And  his  attendants  into  blazing  fire!” 

But  of  the  Son  he  says, 

“God  is  your  throne  forever  and  ever! 

And  a  righteous  scepter  is  the  scepter  of  his  kingdom! 

You  have  loved  right  and  hated  wrong! 

That  is  why  God,  your  God,  has  anointed  you  with  exhila¬ 
rating  oil  beyond  all  your  comrades.” 

And 

“You,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  founded  the  earth, 

And  the  sky  is  the  work  of  your  hands! 

They  will  perish,  but  you  continue! 

And  they  will  all  wear  out  like  a  coat, 

And  you  will  fold  them  up  like  a  mantle, 

And  change  them  as  one  changes  his  coat. 

But  you  are  always  the  same,  and  your  years  will  have  no 
end!” 


407 


1: i-ia 


40  8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


But  to  what  angel  did  he  ever  say, 

“Sit  at  my  right  hand, 

Until  I  make  your  enemies  a  footstool  for  you”  ? 

Are  not  the  angels  all  spirits  in  service,  whom  he  sends  on 
his  errands  for  the  good  of  those  who  are  destined  to  possess 
salvation  ? 

This  is  why  we  must  give  the  very  closest  attention  to  the 
message  we  have  heard,  to  keep  from  ever  losing  our  hold 
upon  it.  For  if  the  message  delivered  by  angels  proved  to  be 
authentic,  and  every  violation  or  neglect  of  it  led  to  a  corre¬ 
sponding  penalty,  how  can  we  escape  if  we  pay  no  attention 
to  such  a  salvation  as  this  ?  It  was  first  proclaimed  by  the 
Lord  himself,  and  it  was  guaranteed  to  us  by  those  who  heard 
him,  while  God  himself  corroborated  their  testimony  with 
signs,  portents,  and  various  wonders,  and  by  impartations  of 
the  holy  Spirit  when  he  saw  fit. 

For  it  was  not  for  angels  that  he  destined  the  control 
of  that  world  to  be,  that  we  are  speaking  of.  For  someone 
has  somewhere  solemnly  declared, 

“What  is  man  ?  for  you  think  of  him; 

Or  any  man  ?  for  you  care  for  him. 

You  made  him  for  a  little  while  inferior  to  angels; 

Yet  you  have  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honor, 

And  you  have  put  him  in  charge  of  the  works  of  your  hands! 
You  have  put  everything  under  his  feet!” 

In  thus  making  everything  subject  to  man,  God  left 
nothing  that  was  not  subjected  to  him.  But  we  do  not  as  yet 
see  everything  made  subject  to  him,  but  we  do  see  Jesus,  who 
was  “made  for  a  little  while  inferior  to  angels,  crowned  with 
glory  and  honor”  because  he  suffered  death,  so  that  by  the 
favor  of  God  he  might  taste  the  bitterness  of  death  on  behalf  of 
every  human  being.  For  it  was  appropriate  that  he  who  is 
the  great  First  Cause  of  the  universe  should,  in  guiding  his 
many  children  to  his  glorious  salvation,  make  their  leader 
in  it  fully  qualified  through  what  he  suffered.  For  both  he  who 
purifies  them  and  they  who  are  purified  spring  from  one  source. 
That  is  why  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brothers,  and  say, 
“I  will  tell  your  name  to  my  brothers, 

In  the  midst  of  the  congregation  I  will  sing  your  praise”; 

i : 13-2: 12 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


409 


and  again, 

“I  will  put  my  trust  in  God 

and  again, 

“Here  I  am  with  the  children  that  God  has  given  me.” 

Therefore  since  these  children  referred  to  have  the  same 
mortal  nature,  Jesus  also  shared  it,  like  them,  in  order  that 
by  his  death  he  might  dethrone  the  lord  of  death,  the  devil, 
and  free  from  their  slavery  men  who  had  always  lived  in  fear 
of  death.  For  of  course  it  was  not  angels  but  the  descendants 
of  Abraham  that  he  came  to  help.  And  so  he  had  to  be  made 
like  his  brothers  in  every  respect,  so  that  he  might  prove  a 
compassionate  high  priest  as  well  as  one  faithful  in  his  service 
to  God,  in  order  to  forgive  the  people’s  sins.  For  because  he 
has  himself  been  tempted  in  what  he  has  suffered  he  is  able  to 
help  ethers  who  are  in  trial. 

Therefore,  my  fellow-Christians,  who  have  likewise  heard 
the  heavenly  invitation,  observe  how  faithful  Jesus,  the 
commissioner  and  high  priest  of  our  religion,  has  been  to  the 
God  who  appointed  him,  just  as  Moses  was,  in  all  the  house  of 
God.  For  Jesus  is  entitled  to  as  much  more  honor  than 
Moses  as  the  builder  of  a  house  is  than  the  house  he  builds. 
For  every  house  has  a  builder,  and  the  builder  of  the  universe 
is  God.  Now  the  faithfulness  of  Moses  in  all  the  house  of 
God  was  that  of  a  servant,  in  faithfully  repeating  what  he  was 
told  to  say;  but  Christ’s  faithfulness  was  that  of  a  son  set 
over  the  house  of  God.  And  we  are  that  house,  if  we  keep 
up  our  courage  and  our  triumphant  hope  to  the  very  end. 

Therefore,  as  the  holy  Spirit  says, 

“If  you  hear  his  voice  today, 

Do  not  harden  your  hearts  as  your  forefathers  provoked 
me  by  doing, 

As  in  that  time  of  trial  in  the  desert, 

Where  your  forefathers  put  my  doings  to  the  proof  for  forty 
years, 

Though  they  saw  them  all  the  time. 

That  was  why  I  was  angry  with  that  generation, 

And  I  said,  ‘Their  minds  are  always  wandering, 

And  they  have  never  found  my  paths.’ 

But  as  I  made  oath  in  my  anger, 

They  shall  never  be  admitted  to  my  Rest!” 

2:13-3:11 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


410 

See  to  it,  my  brothers,  that  no  one  of  you  has  a  wicked, 
unbelieving  heart,  that  turns  away  from  the  ever-living  God, 
but  encourage  one  another  every  day,  as  long  as  we  can  still 
speak  of  Today,  so  that  no  one  of  you  may  have  his  heart 
hardened  by  the  pleasantness  of  sin.  For  we  are  true 
partners  with  Christ  if  we  really  keep  the  conviction  that 
we  had  at  first  unshaken  to  the  very  end.  So  while  we  can 
still  speak  of  Today,  if  you  hear  him  speak,  do  not  harden 
your  hearts,  as  they  provoked  him  by  doing.  For  who  was 
it  that  heard  him  speak  and  yet  provoked  him  ?  Was  it  not 
all  those  who  had  escaped  from  Egypt  under  Moses’  leader¬ 
ship  ?  And  who  was  it  with  whom  God  was  angry  forty  whole 
years  ?  Was  it  not  with  those  who  had  sinned,  who  dropped 
dead  in  the  desert  ?  And  who  was  it  to  whom  God  made 
oath  that  they  should  not  be  admitted  to  his  Rest,  if  it  was 
not  to  those  who  had  disobeyed  him  ?  So  we  see  that  it  was 
their  unbelief  that  kept  them  from  being  admitted  to  it. 
We  ought  therefore  to  fear  that  when  the  promise  of  admission 
to  his  Rest  is  still  open,  some  one  of  you  may  be  found  to  have 
failed  to  reach  it.  For  we  have  had  good  news  preached  to 
us,  just  as  they  did,  but  the  message  they  heard  did  them  no 
good  because  they  did  not  agree  through  faith  with  what  they 
heard.  For  we  who  have  believed  are  admitted  to  that  Rest, 
of  which  he  said, 

“As  I  made  oath  in  my  anger, 

They  shall  never  be  admitted  to  my  Rest!” 

And  yet  God’s  work  was  finished  at  the  creation  of  the  world, 
for  he  says  somewhere  of  the  seventh  day, 

“On  the  seventh  day  God  rested  after  all  his  work,” 

while  here  he  says  again, 

“They  shall  never  be  admitted  to  my  Rest!” 

Since  then  it  is  still  true  that  somebody  will  be  admitted 
to  it,  and  those  who  had  a  gospel  preached  to  them  before 
were  not  admitted  because  of  their  disobedience,  he  again 
fixes  a  new  Today,  saying  long  afterward  through  David,  as 
already  quoted, 

“If  you  hear  his  voice  today, 

Do  not  harden  your  hearts!” 

3:12-457 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


411 

For  if  Joshua  had  really  brought  them  rest  God  would  not 
afterward  have  spoken  of  another  day.  So  there  must  still  be 
a  promised  Sabbath  of  Rest  for  God’s  people.  For  all  who  are 
admitted  to  God’s  Rest  rest  after  their  work,  just  as  God  did 
after  his.  Let  us,  therefore,  make  every  effort  to  be  admitted 
to  that  Rest,  so  that  none  of  us  may  fail  through  such  dis¬ 
obedience  as  theirs.  For  the  message  of  God  is  a  living  and 
active  force,  sharper  than  any  double-edged  sword,  piercing 
through  soul  and  spirit,  and  joints  and  marrow,  and  keen  in 
judging  the  thoughts  and  purposes  of  the  mind.  No  being 
created  can  escape  God’s  sight,  but  everything  is  bare  and 
helpless  before  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we  have  to 
reckon. 

Since  then  we  have  in  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  a  great 
high  priest  who  has  gone  up  into  heaven,  let  us  keep  firm  hold 
of  our  religion.  For  our  high  priest  is  not  one  who  is  incapable 
of  sympathy  with  our  weaknesses,  but  he  has  been  tempted 
in  every  way  just  as  we  have,  without  committing  any  sin. 
So  let  us  come  with  courage  to  God’s  throne  of  grace  to 
receive  his  forgiveness  and  find  him  responsive  when  we  need 
his  help. 

For  every  high  priest  who  is  chosen  from  among  men  is 
appointed  to  represent  his  fellow-men  in  their  relations  with 
God,  and  to  offer  gifts  and  sin-offerings.  He  can  sympathize 
with  the  ignorant  and  misguided  because  he  is  himself  subject 
to  weakness,  and  on  this  account  he  is  obliged  to  offer  sacrifices 
for  sin,  not  only  for  the  people  but  for  himself  as  well.  And 
no  one  takes  the  office  upon  himself,  but  men  assume  it  only 
when  called  to  it  by  God,  as  Aaron  was.  So  even  Christ  did 
not  claim  for  himself  the  dignity  of  the  high  priesthood,  but  he 
was  appointed  to  it  by  him  who  said  to  him, 

“You  are  my  Son!  I  have  today  become  your  Father!” 
For  he  says  in  another  passage, 

“You  are  a  priest  forever  of  the  priesthood  of  Melchizedek.” 
For  Jesus  in  his  life  on  earth  offered  prayers  and  entreaties, 
crying  aloud  with  tears,  to  him  who  was  able  to  save  him  from 
death,  and  because  of  his  piety  his  prayer  was  heard.  And 
although  he  was  a  son,  he  learned  to  obey,  through  what  he 
suffered,  and  when  he  was  fully  qualified,  he  became  a  source 

418-5:9 


412 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


of  unending  salvation  for  all  who  obey  him,  since  God  pro¬ 
nounced  him  a  high  priest  of  the  priesthood  of  Melchizedek. 

I  have  much  to  say  to  you  about  this,  but  it  is  difficult 
to  make  it  clear  to  you,  because  you  have  become  so  slow  of 
apprehension.  For  although  from  the  length  of  your  Chris¬ 
tian  experience  you  ought  to  be  teaching  others,  you  actually 
need  someone  to  teach  you  over  again  the  very  elements  of 
Christian  truth,  and  you  have  come  to  need  milk  instead 
of  solid  food.  For  anyone  who  is  limited  to  milk  is  un¬ 
acquainted  with  Christian  teaching,  for  he  is  only  an  infant. 
But  full-grown  men  have  a  right  to  solid  food,  for  their 
faculties  are  trained  by  practice  to  distinguish  right  and 
wrong.  Let  us  therefore  leave  elementary  Christian  teaching 
alone  and  advance  toward  maturity.  We  must  not  be  always 
relaying  foundations,  of  repentance  for  wrongdoing,  and  of 
faith  in  God,  with  the  teaching  of  baptism  and  the  laying 
on  of  hands,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  final  judgment. 
And  we  will  advance  if  God  permits  it.  For  it  is  impossible 
to  arouse  people  to  a  fresh  repentance  when  they  have  once 
for  all  come  into  the  light  and  had  a  taste  of  the  gift  from 
heaven,  and  shared  in  the  holy  Spirit  and  felt  the  goodness 
of  the  word  of  God  and  the  strong  influences  of  the  coming  age, 
and  yet  have  fallen  back,  for  they  crucify  the  Son  of  God  on 
their  own  account,  and  hold  him  up  to  contempt.  Ground 
that  drinks  in  frequent  showers  and  produces  vegetation 
that  is  of  use  to  those  for  whom  it  is  cultivated  receives 
God’s  blessing.  But  if  it  yields  thorns  and  thistles,  it  is 
thought  worthless  and  almost  cursed,  and  it  will  finally  be 
burned. 

But  about  you,  dear  friends,  even  though  we  say  this, 
we  are  sure  of  better  things  that  promise  salvation.  For  God 
is  not  so  unjust  as  to  forget  the  work  you  have  done  and  the 
love  you  have  showed  for  his  cause,  in  giving  help  to  your 
fellow-Christians  as  you  still  do.  But  we  want  each  of  you 
to  exhibit  this  same  earnestness  to  the  very  end  with  regard 
to  your  confidence  in  your  hope,  so  that  you  may  never  grow 
careless,  but  may  learn  to  follow  the  example  of  those  who 
through  their  faith  and  endurance  are  the  possessors  of  God’s 
promises. 

5:10-6:12 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


4i3 


For  when  God  made  his  promise  to  Abraham,  since  there 
was  no  one  greater  for  him  to  make  oath  by,  he  did  so  by 
himself,  and  said, 

“  I  will  certainly  bless  you  richly,  and  greatly  increase  your 
numbers.”  And  so  after  waiting  patiently,  he  received 
what  God  had  promised  him.  For  men  make  oath  by  some¬ 
thing  greater  than  themselves,  and  they  accept  an  oath  as 
settling  finally  any  disagreement  they  may  have.  Therefore, 
God  in  his  desire  to  make  it  perfectly  clear  to  those  to  whom 
he  made  his  promise,  that  his  purpose  was  unalterable,  bound 
himself  with  an  oath,  so  that  by  these  two  unalterable  things, 
which  make  it  impossible  for  God  to  break  his  promise,  we 
who  have  taken  refuge  with  him  may  be  greatly  encouraged  to 
seize  upon  the  hope  that  is  offered  to  us.  This  hope  is  like  an 
anchor  for  our  souls.  It  reaches  up  secure  and  strong  into  the 
sanctuary  behind  the  heavenly  curtain,  where  Jesus  has  gone 
ahead  of  us,  and  become  forever  a  high  priest  of  the  priesthood 
of  Melchizedek. 

For  this  man  Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem  and  priest  of  the 
Most  High  God,  who  met  Abraham  as  he  was  on  his  way  back 
from  defeating  the  kings,  and  gave  him  his  blessing,  to  whom 
Abraham  apportioned  one  tenth  of  all  the  spoil,  who  is  first, 
as  his  name  shows,  king  of  righteousness  and  then  king  of 
Salem,  which  means  king  of  peace — with  no  father  or  mother 
or  ancestry,  and  with  no  beginning  to  his  days  nor  end  to  his 
life,  but  like  no  one  but  the  Son  of  God,  continues  as  priest 
forever. 

Now  see  how  great  this  man  must  have  been  to  have  the 
patriarch  Abraham  give  him  a  tenth  of  the  spoil.  Those  of 
the  descendants  of  Levi  who  are  appointed  to  the  priesthood 
are  directed  by  the  Law  to  collect  tithes  from  the  people,  that 
is,  from  their  own  brethren,  although  they  are  descended  from 
Abraham  like  themselves.  But  this  man,  whose  ancestry  is 
not  connected  with  theirs,  collected  tithes  from  Abraham 
himself,  and  gave  his  blessing  to  the  man  who  had  received 
the  promises  from  God.  But,  beyond  any  doubt,  it  is  the 
inferior  that  is  blessed  by  the  superior.  In  the  one  case, 
mortal  men  collect  tithes;  but  in  the  other,  one  who,  it  is 
intimated,  lives  on.  In  one  way  of  putting  it,  Levi  himself, 

6:13-7:9 


4H 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  collector  of  the  tithes,  through  Abraham  paid  him  tithes, 
for  none  of  Abraham’s  posterity  was  yet  begotten  at  the 
time  of  his  meeting  with  Melchizedek. 

Now  if  anything  final  had  been  really  accomplished 
through  the  Levitical  priesthood,  for  even  the  giving  of  the 
Law  was  based  upon  it,  what  further  need  would  there  have 
been  of  appointing  a  different  priest  of  the  priesthood  of 
Melchizedek,  instead  of  choosing  one  of  the  priesthood  of 
Aaron  ?  For  when  there  is  a  change  in  the  priesthood,  a 
change  necessarily  takes  place  in  the  Law  as  well.  For  he  of 
whom  all  this  was  said  was  related  to  a  tribe  no  member  of 
which  ever  officiated  at  the  altar.  For  it  is  perfectly  clear 
that  our  Lord  sprang  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  with  reference 
to  which  Moses  said  nothing  at  all  about  priests.  The  point 
is  still  more  clear  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  appointment  of 
the  new  priest  resembles  that  of  Melchizedek,  for  he  is 
appointed  not  for  possessing  any  legal  physical  qualifications, 
but  by  virtue  of  a  life  that  cannot  end.  For  the  psalm  bears 
witness, 

“You  are  a  priest  forever,  of  the  priesthood  of  Melchizedek!” 
So  an  earlier  regulation  is  abrogated  because  it  was  poor  and 
ineffective  (for  there  was  nothing  final  about  the  Law),  and  a 
better  hope  begins  to  dawn,  through  which  we  may  approach 
God.  And  in  proportion  as  Jesus  was  not  appointed  priest 
without  God’s  making  oath  to  it,  the  agreement  which  he 
guarantees  is  better  than  the  old  one,  for  God  took  no  oath 
in  appointing  the  old  priests,  but  he  made  oath  to  his  appoint¬ 
ment,  when  he  said  to  him, 

“The  Lord  has  sworn  it  and  he  will  not  change: 

You  are  a  priest  forever!” 

The  old  priests  too  had  to  be  numerous,  because  death  pre¬ 
vented  their  continuing  in  office.  But  he  continues  forever, 
and  so  his  priesthood  is  untransferable.  Therefore,  he  is 
able  to  save  forever  all  who  come  to  God  through  him, 
because  he  lives  and  intercedes  for  them  forever. 

Such  a  high  priest  we  needed — godly,  blameless, 
unstained,  removed  from  sinful  men  and  raised  above  the  very 
heavens;  who  does  not  need,  as  the  old  high  priests  did,  to  offer 
sacrifices  every  day,  first  for  his  own  sins  and  then  for  those 

7:10-27 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


4i5 


of  the  people — for  this  last  he  has  done  once  for  all,  in  offering 
up  himself.  For  the  Law  appoints  to  the  high  priesthood 
men  full  of  imperfection;  but  this  utterance  about  the 
making  of  the  oath,  which  came  long  after  the  Law,  appoints 
a  son,  fully  qualified  to  be  high  priest  forever. 

Now  the  main  point  in  what  I  am  saying  is  this:  We 
have  such  a  high  priest  as  this,  and  he  has  taken  his  seat  in 
heaven  at  the  right  hand  of  God’s  Majesty,  to  officiate  as 
priest  in  the  sanctuary  and  in  that  true  tent  of  worship  which 
not  man  but  the  Lord  himself  set  up.  But  every  high  priest 
is  appointed  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices,  and  so  this  high  priest 
also  must  have  some  sacrifice  to  offer.  Further,  if  he  were 
still  on  earth,  he  would  not  be  a  priest  at  all,  for  there  are 
priests  enough  provided  to  offer  the  gifts  the  Law  prescribes — 
though  the  service  they  engage  in  is  only  a  shadow  and 
imitation  of  that  in  heaven.  For  when  Moses  was  going  to 
make  the  tent  of  worship  he  was  warned,  “  Be  sure  to  make  it 
all  just  like  the  pattern  you  were  shown  on  the  mountain.” 
But,  as  it  is,  the  priestly  service  to  which  Christ  has  been 
appointed  is  as  much  better  than  the  old  as  the  agreement 
established  by  him  and  the  promises  on  which  it  is  based  are 
superior  to  the  former  ones.  For  if  that  first  agreement 
had  been  perfect,  there  would  have  been  no  occasion  for  a 
second  one.  But  in  his  dissatisfaction  with  them  he  says, 
“‘See!  the  time  is  coming,’  says  the  Lord, 

‘When  I  will  conclude  a  new  agreement  with  the  house  of 
Israel  and  with  the  house  of  Judah, 

Not  like  the  one  that  I  made  with  their  forefathers, 

On  the  day  when  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  lead  them  out 
from  the  land  of  Egypt, 

For  they  would  not  abide  by  their  agreement  with  me, 

So  I  paid  no  attention  to  them,’  says  the  Lord. 

‘For  this  is  the  agreement  that  I  will  make  with  the 
house  of  Israel, 

In  those  later  days,’  says  the  Lord; 

‘I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  minds, 

And  write  them  on  their  hearts, 

And  they  will  have  me  for  their  God, 

And  I  will  have  them  for  my  people. 

7:28-8:10 


41 6  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

And  they  will  not  have  to  teach  their  townsmen  and  their 
brothers  to  know  the  Lord, 

For  they  will  all  know  me, 

From  the  lowest  to  the  highest. 

For  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  misdeeds, 

And  I  will  no  longer  remember  their  sins.’  ” 

Now  when  he  speaks  of  a  new  agreement,  he  is  treating 
the  first  one  as  obsolete;  but  whatever  is  obsolete  and 
antiquated  is  almost  ready  to  disappear. 

Even  the  first  agreement  provided  regulations  for  worship, 
and  a  sanctuary  that  was  fully  equipped.  For  a  tent  was 
erected,  with  the  lamp  and  the  table  and  the  presentation 
bread  in  the  outer  part,  which  was  called  the  sanctuary. 
And  beyond  the  second  curtain,  in  the  part  called  the  inner 
sanctuary,  stood  the  gold  incense-altar  and  the  chest  that 
contained  the  agreement,  entirely  covered  with  gold,  with  the 
gold  jar  in  it  that  held  the  manna,  and  Aaron’s  staff  that 
budded,  and  the  tablets  containing  the  agreement;  and 
above  the  chest  were  the  winged  creatures  of  the  Divine 
Presence  overshadowing  the  lid  on  which  the  blood  was 
sprinkled — of  which  I  cannot  now  speak  in  detail.  With 
these  arrangements  for  worship,  the  priests  used  constantly 
to  go  into  the  outer  part  of  the  tent,  in  the  performance  of 
their  rites,  but  only  the  high  priest  could  enter  the  inner  part, 
and  he  but  once  a  year,  and  never  without  taking  some 
victim’s  blood,  to  offer  on  his  own  behalf  and  for  the  sins 
committed  through  ignorance  by  the  people.  In  all  this  the 
holy  Spirit  was  seeking  to  show  that  there  was  no  free  access 
to  the  sanctuary  while  the  outer  tent  was  still  standing. 
And  all  this  looked  toward  the  present  time  and  was  symbolic 
of  the  fact  that  the  mere  offering  of  material  gifts  and  sacrifices 
cannot  inwardly  qualify  the  worshiper  to  approach  God, 
since  they  have  to  do  only  with  food  and  drink  and  various 
washings — material  regulations  in  force  only  until  the  time  for 
the  new  order. 

But  when  Christ  came,  as  the  high  priest  of  the  better 
system  under  which  we  live,  he  went  once  for  all,  through 
that  greater,  more  perfect  tent  of  worship  not  made  by  human 
hands  nor  a  part  of  our  material  creation,  into  the  sanctuary, 

8:11-9:11 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


4i7 


taking  with  him  no  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  his  own, 
and  secured  our  permanent  deliverance.  For  if  sprinkling 
ceremonially  defiled  persons  with  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats 
and  with  the  ashes  of  a  heifer  purifies  them  physically,  how 
much  more  surely  will  the  blood  of  the  Christ,  who  with  the 
eternal  Spirit  made  himself  an  unblemished  offering  to  God, 
purify  our  consciences  from  the  old  wrongdoing  for  the 
worship  of  the  ever-living  God  ? 

And  this  is  why  he  is  the  negotiator  of  a  new  agreement, 
in  order  that  as  someone  has  died  to  deliver  them  from  the 
offenses  committed  under  the  old  agreement,  those  who 
have  been  offered  it  may  receive  the  unending  inheritance 
they  have  been  promised.  For  where  a  will  is  involved,  the 
death  of  the  one  who  made  it  must  be  established,  for  a  will 
is  valid  only  in  the  case  of  a  person  who  is  dead;  it  has  no 
force  as  long  as  the  testator  is  alive.  So  even  the  old  agree¬ 
ment  could  not  be  ratified  without  the  use  of  blood.  For 
when  Moses  had  told  all  the  regulations  of  the  Law  to  all  the 
people,  he  took  calves’  and  goats’  blood,  along  with  water, 
crimson  wool,  and  a  bunch  of  hyssop,  and  sprinkled  the  roll 
of  the  Law  and  all  the  people,  saying,  “This  blood  ratifies  the 
agreement  which  God  has  commanded  me  to  make  with  you.” 
The  tent  too  and  all  the  appliances  used  in  the  priestly  service 
he  sprinkled  with  blood  in  the  same  way.  In  fact,  under  the 
Law,  almost  everything  is  purified  with  blood,  and  unless 
blood  is  poured  out  nothing  is  forgiven. 

By  such  means,  therefore,  these  things  that  were  only 
copied  from  the  originals  in  heaven  had  to  be  purified,  but  the 
heavenly  originals  themselves  required  far  better  sacrifices 
than  these.  For  it  was  not  a  sanctuary  made  by  human  hands 
and  only  copied  after  the  true  one  that  Christ  entered,  but  he 
went  into  heaven  itself,  in  order  to  appear  now  on  our  behalf 
in  the  very  presence  of  God.  Nor  does  he  go  in  to  offer  himself 
over  and  over  again,  like  the  high  priest  who  enters  the 
sanctuary  year  after  year,  taking  with  him  blood  that  is  not 
his  own,  for  then  he  would  have  had  to  suffer  death  over  and 
over,  ever  since  the  creation  of  the  world.  But,  as  it  is,  once 
for  all  at  the  close  of  the  age  he  has  appeared,  to  put  an  end 
to  sin  by  his  sacrifice.  And  just  as  men  are  destined  to  die 

9:  ia-?7 


418 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


once  and  after  that  to  be  judged,  so  the  Christ  too,  after  being 
offered  in  sacrifice  once  for  all  to  carry  away  the  sins  of  many, 
will  appear  again  but  without  any  burden  of  sin,  to  those  who 
are  eagerly  waiting  for  him  to  come  and  save  them. 

For  while  the  Law  foreshadowed  the  blessings  that  were 
to  come,  it  did  not  fully  express  them,  and  so  the  priests  by 
offering  the  same  sacrifices  endlessly  year  after  year  cannot 
wholly  free  those  who  come  to  worship  from  their  sins. 
Otherwise,  would  they  not  have  ceased  to  offer  these  sacrifices, 
because  those  who  offered  them,  having  once  been  purified, 
would  have  had  no  further  consciousness  of  sin  ?  They 
really  only  serve  to  remind  the  people  annually  of  the  sins 
they  have  committed,  for  bulls’  and  goats’  blood  is  powerless 
to  remove  sin.  That  is  why  the  Christ,  when  he  was  coming 
into  the  world,  said, 

“You  have  not  wished  sacrifice  or  offering,  but  you  have 
provided  a  body  for  me. 

You  never  cared  for  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin! 

So  I  said,  ‘  See,  I  have  come !  as  the  Book  of  the  Law  says  of  me, 
O  God,  to  do  your  will!’” 

At  first  he  says,  “You  never  wished  or  cared  for  sacrifices  or 
offerings,  or  burnt-offerings  or  sacrifices  for  sin  ” — all  of  which 
the  Law  prescribes — and  then  he  adds,  “  See,  I  have  come  to 
do  your  will!”  He  is  taking  away  the  old  to  put  the  new  in 
its  place.  And  it  is  through  his  doing  of  God’s  will  that  we 
have  been  once  for  all  purified  from  sin  through  the  offering 
of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  in  sacrifice.  Every  other  priest 
stands  officiating  day  after  day,  offering  over  and  over  again 
the  same  sacrifices,  though  they  were  powerless  ever  to  remove 
people’s  sins.  But  Christ  has  offered  for  all  time  one  sacrifice 
for  sin,  and  has  taken  his  seat  at  God’s  right  hand,  from  that 
time  waiting  for  his  enemies  to  be  made  his  footstool.  For 
by  that  one  sacrifice  he  has  forever  qualified  those  who  are 
purified  from  sin  to  approach  God.  And  we  have  the  testi¬ 
mony  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  this,  for  after  saying, 

“‘This  is  the  agreement  that  I  will  make  with  them 
In  those  later  days,’  says  the  Lord, 

‘I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  minds, 

And  write  them  upon  their  hearts,’  ” 

9:28-10:16 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


419 


he  goes  on, 

“‘And  their  sins  and  their  misdeeds  I  will  no  longer  re¬ 
member.’  ” 

But  when  these  are  forgiven,  there  is  no  more  need  of  offerings 
for  sin. 

Since  then,  brothers,  we  have  free  access  to  the  sanctuary- 
through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  the  new,  living  way  which  he 
has  opened  for  us,  through  the  curtain,  that  is,  his  physical 
nature,  and  since  in  him  we  have  a  great  priest  set  over  the 
house  of  God,  let  us  draw  near  to  God  in  sincerity  of  heart 
and  with  perfect  faith,  with  our  hearts  cleansed  from  the  sense 
of  sin,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  clean  water.  Let  us  hold 
unwaveringly  to  the  hope  that  we  profess,  for  he  who  has  given 
us  his  promise  may  be  trusted.  By  observing  one  another, 
let  us  arouse  ourselves  to  rival  one  another’s  love  and  good 
deeds.  Let  us  not  neglect  meeting  together  as  some  do, 
but  let  us  encourage  one  another,  all  the  more  as  you  can  see 
that  the  great  Day  is  coming  nearer. 

For  if  we  choose  to  go  on  sinning  after  we  have  so  fully 
learned  the  truth,  there  is  no  sacrifice  left  to  be  offered  for  our 
sins,  but  only  the  dreadful  prospect  of  judgment  and  that 
blazing  indignation  which  is  to  devour  God’s  enemies.  Any¬ 
one  who  breaks  the  Law  of  Moses  is  put  to  death  without  any 
show  of  pity,  on  the  evidence  of  only  two  or  three  witnesses. 
How  much  worse  a  punishment  do  you  think  will  anyone 
deserve  who  tramples  the  Son  of  God  underfoot,  and  treats  as 
worthless  the  blood  of  the  agreement  by  which  he  has  been 
purified,  and  outrages  God’s  spirit  of  mercy  ?  For  we  know 
who  it  is  that  has  said, 

“Vengeance  belongs  to  me!  I  will  pay  back!” 
and  in  another  place, 

“The  Lord  will  be  the  judge  of  his  people!” 

It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God! 

But  you  must  remember  those  early  days  when  after  you 
had  received  the  light  you  had  to  go  through  a  great  struggle 
with  persecution,  sometimes  being  actually  exposed  as  a  public 
spectacle  to  insults  and  violence,  and  sometimes  showing 
yourselves  ready  to  share  the  lot  of  those  in  that  condition. 
For  you  showed  sympathy  with  those  who  were  in  prison, 

10:17-34 


420 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


and  you  put  up  with  it  cheerfully  when  your  property  was 
taken  from  you,  for  you  knew  that  you  had  in  yourselves  a 
greater  possession  that  was  lasting.  You  must  not  lose  your 
courage,  for  it  will  be  richly  rewarded,  but  you  will  need 
endurance  if  you  are  to  carry  out  God’s  will  and  receive  the 
blessing  he  has  promised.  For 
“In  a  very  little  while 
He  who  is  to  come  will  come  and  not  delay, 

And  he  whom  I  accept  as  righteous  will  find  life  through 
his  faith. 

But  if  a  man  draws  back,  my  heart  can  take  no  pleasure 
in  him. 

But  we  will  not  draw  back  and  perish,  but  we  will  have 
faith  and  save  our  souls. 

Faith  means  the  assurance  of  what  we  hope  for;  it  is 
our  conviction  about  things  that  we  cannot  see.  For  it  was 
by  it  that  the  men  of  old  gained  God’s  approval. 

It  is  faith  that  enables  us  to  see  that  the  universe  was 
created  at  the  command  of  God,  so  that  the  world  we  see  did 
not  simply  arise  out  of  matter.  Faith  made  Abel’s  sacrifice 
greater  in  the  sight  of  God  than  Cain’s;  through  faith  he 
gained  God’s  approval  as  an  upright  man,  for  God  himself 
approved  his  offering,  and  through  faith  even  when  he  was 
dead  he  still  spoke.  Faith  caused  Enoch  to  be  taken  up  from 
the  earth  without  experiencing  death;  he  could  not  be 
found,  because  God  had  taken  him  up.  For  before  he  was 
taken  up  there  is  evidence  that  he  pleased  God,  but  without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him;  for  whoever  would 
approach  God  must  have  faith  in  his  existence  and  in  his 
willingness  to  reward  those  who  try  to  find  him.  Faith  led 
Noah,  when  he  was  warned  by  God  of  things  no  one  then  saw, 
in  obedience  to  the  warning  to  build  an  ark  in  which  to 
save  his  family,  and  by  such  faith  he  condemned  the  world, 
and  came  to  possess  that  uprightness  which  faith  produces. 
Faith  enabled  Abraham  to  obey  when  God  summoned  him  to 
leave  his  home  for  a  region  which  he  was  to  have  for  his  own, 
and  to  leave  home  without  knowing  where  he  was  going. 
Faith  led  him  to  make  a  temporary  home  as  a  stranger  in  the 
land  he  had  been  promised,  and  to  live  there  in  his  tents,  with 

10:35-11:9 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


421 


Isaac  and  Jacob,  who  shared  the  promise  with  him.  For  he 
was  looking  forward  to  that  city  with  the  sure  foundations, 
designed  and  built  by  God.  Faith  made  even  Sarah  herself 
able  to  have  a  child,  although  she  was  past  the  time  of  life 
for  it,  because  she  thought  that  he  who  had  made  the  promise 
would  keep  it.  And  so  from  one  man,  for  any  prospect  of 
descendants  as  good  as  dead,  there  sprang  a  people  in  number 
like  the  stars  in  the  heavens  or  the  countless  sands  on  the 
seashore. 

All  these  people  lived  all  their  lives  in  faith,  and  died 
without  receiving  what  had  been  promised;  they  only  saw  it 
far  ahead  and  welcomed  the  sight  of  it,  recognizing  that  they 
themselves  were  only  foreigners  and  strangers  here  on  earth. 
For  men  who  recognize  that  show  that  they  are  in  search  of  a 
country  of  their  own.  And  if  it  had  been  the  country  from 
which  they  had  come  to  which  their  thoughts  turned  back, 
they  would  have  found  an  opportunity  to  return  to  it.  But,  as 
it  is,  their  aspirations  are  for  a  better,  a  heavenly  country! 
That  is  why  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God,  for  he 
has  prepared  a  city  to  receive  them. 

Faith  enabled  Abraham,  when  he  was  put  to  the  test,  to 
offer  Isaac  as  a  sacrifice.  He  who  had  accepted  God’s 
promises  was  ready  to  sacrifice  his  only  son,  of  whom  he  had 
been  told,  “Your  posterity  is  to  arise  through  Isaac!”  For 
he  believed  that  God  was  able  to  raise  men  even  from  the 
dead,  and  from  the  dead  he  did  indeed,  to  speak  figuratively, 
receive  him  back.  Faith  enabled  Isaac  to  bequeath  to  Jacob 
and  Esau  blessings  that  were  still  to  be.  Faith  made  Jacob 
when  he  was  dying  give  a  blessing  to  each  of  Joseph’s  sons, 
and  bow  in  worship  even  while  leaning  on  his  staff.  Faith 
inspired  Joseph  when  he  was  dying  to  tell  of  the  future 
migration  of  the  Israelites,  and  to  give  instructions  about 
his  own  body.  Faith  led  Moses’  parents  to  hide  him  for  three 
months  after  his  birth,  because  they  saw  that  he  was  a  beauti¬ 
ful  child  and  they  would  not  respect  the  edict  of  the  king. 
Faith  made  Moses,  when  he  was  grown  up,  refuse  to  be 
known  as  a  son  of  Pharaoh’s  daughter,  for  he  preferred 
sharing  the  hardships  of  God’s  people  to  a  short-lived 
enjoyment  of  sin,  and  thought  such  contempt  as  the  Christ 

11 : 10-26 


422 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


endured  was  truer  wealth  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt,  for  he 
was  looking  forward  to  the  coming  reward.  Faith  made 
him  leave  Egypt,  unafraid  of  the  king’s  anger,  for  he  persevered 
as  though  he  saw  him  who  is  unseen.  Faith  made  him 
institute  the  Passover  and  splash  the  blood  upon  the  door¬ 
posts,  to  keep  the  angel  that  destroyed  the  firstborn  from 
touching  them.  Faith  enabled  them  to  cross  the  Red  Sea  as 
though  it  were  dry  land,  although  the  Egyptians  when  they 
tried  to  follow  them  across  it  were  drowned.  Faith  made  the 
walls  of  Jericho  fall,  after  they  had  marched  around  them  each 
day  for  seven  days.  Faith  saved  Rahab  the  prostitute  from 
being  destroyed  with  those  who  disobeyed  God,  because  she 
had  given  a  friendly  welcome  to  the  scouts. 

And  why  should  I  go  on  ?  For  my  time  would  fail  me  if 
I  told  of  Gideon,  Barak,  Sampson,  Jephthah,  David,  Samuel, 
and  the  prophets,  who  by  their  faith  conquered  kingdoms, 
attained  uprightness,  received  new  promises,  shut  the 
mouths  of  lions,  put  out  furious  fires,  escaped  death  by  the 
sword,  found  strength  in  their  time  of  weakness,  proved 
mighty  in  war,  put  foreign  armies  to  flight.  Women  had 
their  dead  restored  to  them  by  resurrection.  Others  endured 
torture,  and  refused  to  accept  release,  that  they  might  rise 
again  to  the  better  life.  Still  others  had  to  endure  taunts 
and  blows,  and  even  fetters  and  prison.  They  were  stoned  to 
death,  they  were  tortured  to  death,  they  were  sawed  in  two, 
they  were  killed  with  the  sword.  Clothed  in  the  skins  of 
sheep  or  goats,  they  were  driven  from  place  to  place,  destitute, 
persecuted,  misused — men  of  whom  the  world  was  not 
worthy  wandering  in  deserts,  mountains,  caves,  and  holes  in 
the  ground. 

Yet  though  they  all  gained  God’s  approval  by  their  faith, 
they  none  of  them  received  what  he  had  promised,  for  God 
had  resolved  upon  something  still  better  for  us,  that  they 
might  not  reach  the  fulfilment  of  their  hopes  except  with  us. 

Therefore,  let  us  too,  with  such  a  crowd  of  witnesses  about 
us,  throw  off  every  impediment  and  the  entanglement  of  sin, 
and  run  with  determination  the  race  for  which  we  are  entered, 
fixing  our  eyes  upon  Jesus,  our  leader  and  example  in  faith, 
who  in  place  of  the  happiness  that  belonged  to  him,  submitted 

11:27-12:2 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


423 


to  a  cross,  caring  nothing  for  its  shame,  and  has  taken  his  seat 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God.  Think  of  the  opposi¬ 
tion  that  he  encountered  from  those  sinners  against  them¬ 
selves,  if  you  would  not  grow  weary  and  faint-hearted.  You 
have  not  yet  resisted  unto  death  in  your  struggle  with  sin, 
and  you  have  forgotten  the  challenge  addressed  to  you  as 
God’s  sons, 

“My  son,  do  not  think  lightly  of  the  Lord’s  discipline, 
Or  give  up  when  he  corrects  you. 

For  it  is  those  whom  the  Lord  loves  that  he  disciplines, 
And  he  chastises  every  son  that  he  acknowledges.” 

You  must  submit  to  it  as  discipline.  God  is  dealing  with 
you  as  his  sons.  For  where  is  there  a  son  whom  his  father 
does  not  discipline  ?  But  if  you  have  none  of  that  discipline 
which  all  sons  undergo,  you  are  illegitimate  children,  and 
not  true  sons.  When  our  earthly  fathers  disciplined  us  we 
treated  them  with  respect;  should  we  not  far  more  submit 
to  the  Father  of  our  spirits,  and  so  have  life  ?  For  they 
disciplined  us  for  a  short  time  and  as  they  thought  proper, 
but  he  does  it  for  our  good,  to  make  us  share  his  holiness. 
Discipline  is  never  pleasant  at  the  time;  it  is  painful;  but  to 
those  who  are  trained  by  it,  it  afterward  yields  the  peace  of 
character.  So  tighten  your  loosening  hold!  Stiffen  your 
wavering  stand !  And  keep  your  feet  in  straight  paths,  so  that 
limbs  that  are  lame  may  not  be  dislocated  but  instead  be 
cured. 

Try  to  be  at  peace  with  everyone,  and  strive  for  that 
consecration  without  which  no  one  can  see  the  Lord.  Be 
careful  that  no  one  fails  to  gain  God’s  favor,  or  some  poisonous 
root  may  come  up  to  trouble  and  contaminate  you  all — some 
immoral  or  godless  person  like  Esau,  who  sold  his  very 
birthright  for  one  single  meal.  For  you  know  how,  when  he 
afterward  wished  to  claim  the  blessing,  he  was  refused  it, 
although  he  begged  for  it  with  tears,  for  he  had  no  opportunity 
to  repent  of  what  he  had  done. 

For  it  is  no  tangible  blazing  fire  that  you  have  come  up 
to,  no  blackness  and  darkness  and  storm,  no  trumpet  blast 
and  voice  whose  words  made  those  who  heard  them  beg  to  be 
told  no  more,  for  they  could  not  bear  the  order,  “Even  a  wild 


12:3-20 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


424 

animal,  if  it  touches  the  mountain,  must  be  stoned  to  death,” 
and  so  awful  was  the  sight  that  Moses  said,  “I  am  aghast 
and  appalled !”  But  you  have  come  up  to  Mount  Zion,  to  the 
city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  to  countless 
angels,  to  the  solemn  gathering  of  all  God’s  elder  sons, 
enrolled  as  citizens  in  heaven,  to  a  judge  who  is  the  God  of 
all,  to  the  spirits  of  upright  men  now  at  last  enjoying  the 
fulfilment  of  their  hopes,  to  Jesus  the  negotiator  of  a  new 
agreement,  and  to  sprinkled  blood  that  speaks  more  power¬ 
fully  than  even  Abel’s.  Take  care  not  to  refuse  to  listen  to 
him  who  is  speaking.  For  if  they  could  not  escape  because 
they  would  not  listen  to  him  who  warned  them  here  on  earth, 
how  much  less  can  we,  who  reject  him  who  is  from  heaven! 
Then  his  voice  shook  the  earth,  but  now  his  promise  is, 
“But  once  more  I  will  make  not  only  the  earth  but  the  very 
heaven  to  tremble!”  Now  the  words  “But  once  more”  indi¬ 
cate  the  final  removal  of  all  that  is  shaken,  as  only  created, 
leaving  only  what  is  unshaken  to  be  permanent.  Let  us, 
therefore,  be  thankful  that  the  kingdom  given  to  us  cannot 
be  shaken,  and  so  please  God  by  worshiping  him  with  rever¬ 
ence  and  awe;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 

Your  love  for  the  brotherhood  must  continue.  Do  not 
forget  to  be  hospitable  to  strangers,  for  by  being  so  some, 
without  knowing  it,  have  had  angels  as  their  guests.  Re¬ 
member  those  who  are  in  prison  as  though  you  were  in  prison 
with  them,  and  those  who  are  ill-treated  as  being  yourselves 
liable  to  the  same  trials.  Marriage  should  be  respected  by 
everyone,  and  the  marriage  relation  kept  sacred,  for  vicious 
and  immoral  people  God  will  punish.  You  must  not  be 
avaricious;  you  must  be  content  with  what  you  have,  for  God 
himself  has  said,  “I  will  never  let  go  of  you  or  desert  you!” 
So  that  we  can  confidently  say, 

“The  Lord  is  my  helper;  I  will  not  be  afraid. 

What  can  men  do  to  me  ?” 

Do  not  forget  your  former  leaders,  the  men  who  brought 
you  God’s  message.  Remember  how  they  ended  their  lives 
and  imitate  their  faith. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  today  that  he  was  yesterday,  and 
he  will  be  so  forever.  You  must  not  be  carried  away  with 

12:21-13:9 


THE  LETTER  TO  THE  HEBREWS 


425 


strange  varieties  of  teaching.  The  true  way  to  steadfastness 
of  heart  is  through  God’s  mercy,  not  through  scruples  about 
food,  which  have  never  done  their  adherents  any  good.  Our 
altar  is  one  at  which  those  who  serve  the  tent  of  worship  have 
no  right  to  eat.  For  the  bodies  of  the  animals  whose  blood  is 
taken  into  the  sanctuary  by  the  high  priest  are  burned  outside 
the  camp.  And  so  Jesus  too,  in  order  to  purify  the  people 
by  his  blood,  suffered  death  outside  the  city  gate.  Let  us, 
therefore,  go  out  to  him,  outside  the  camp,  sharing  the 
contempt  that  he  endured,  for  we  have  no  permanent  city 
here  on  earth,  but  we  are  in  search  of  the  city  that  is  to  come. 
In  his  name  let  us  continually  offer  praise  as  our  sacrifice 
to  God — the  utterance  of  lips  that  glorify  God’s  name.  But 
do  not  forget  to  be  helpful  and  generous,  for  that  is  the  kind 
of  sacrifice  that  pleases  God. 

Obey  your  leaders  and  give  way  to  them,  for  they  are 
keeping  watch  in  defense  of  your  souls,  as  men  accountable 
for  the  trust.  Make  their  work  a  joy  and  not  a  grief,  for  that 
would  be  the  worse  for  you. 

Pray  for  me,  for  I  am  sure  I  have  a  clear  conscience,  and 
I  mean  in  every  way  to  live  an  upright  life.  I  ask  this  of  you 
more  especially  that  I  may  be  brought  back  to  you  the 
sooner. 

May  God,  the  giver  of  peace,  who  brought  back  from  the 
dead  our  Lord  Jesus  who  through  the  blood  by  which  he  ratified 
the  everlasting  agreement  has  become  the  great  shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  fit  you  by  every  blessing  to  do  his  will,  and  through 
Jesus  Christ  carry  out  in  us  what  will  please  him.  To  him 
be  glory  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

I  beg  you,  brothers,  to  listen  patiently  to  this  appeal, 
for  I  have  written  you  but  briefly. 

You  must  know  that  our  brother  Timothy  has  been 
released  from  prison.  If  he  comes  here  soon,  we  will  see  you 
together. 

Remember  us  to  all  your  leaders  and  to  all  your  fellow- 
Christians.  The  brothers  from  Italy  wish  to  be  remembered 
to  you. 

God  bless  you  all! 


13: 10— 


THE  LETTER  OF  JAMES 


James,  a  slave  of  God  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  sends 
greeting  to  the  twelve  tribes  that  are  scattered  over  the 
world. 

You  must  find  the  greatest  joy,  my  brothers,  in  being 
involved  in  various  trials,  for  you  know  that  the  testing  of 
your  faith  leads  to  steadfastness,  and  steadfastness  must 
have  full  play,  so  that  you  may  be  fully  and  perfectly  devel¬ 
oped  without  any  defects. 

If  any  one  of  you  is  deficient  in  wisdom,  let  him  ask  God 
who  gives  generously  to  everyone,  and  does  not  reproach  one 
with  it  afterward,  and  he  will  give  it  to  him.  But  he  must  ask 
with  faith,  and  without  any  doubt,  for  the  man  who  doubts 
is  like  the  billowing  sea,  driven  and  blown  about  by  the  wind. 
Such  a  man  must  not  expect  to  get  anything  from  the  Lord 
— an  irresolute  person  like  him,  who  is  uncertain  about  every¬ 
thing  he  does.  A  brother  of  low  position  ought  to  be  proud 
of  his  eminence,  but  one  who  is  rich  ought  to  rejoice  at  being 
reduced  in  circumstances,  for  the  rich  will  disappear  like  the 
wild  flowers.  For  the  sun  comes  up  with  its  scorching  heat 
and  dries  up  the  grass,  and  the  flowers  wither,  and  all  their 
beauty  is  gone.  That  is  the  way  rich  men  will  fade  and  die 
in  the  midst  of  their  pursuits. 

Blessed  is  the  man  who  endures  trial,  for  when  he  stands 
the  test,  he  will  be  given  the  crown  of  life,  which  God  has 
promised  to  those  who  love  him.  No  one  should  think  when 
he  is  tempted  that  his  temptation  comes  from  God,  for  God 
is  incapable  of  being  tempted  by  what  is  evil,  and  he  does  not 
tempt  anyone.  When  anyone  is  tempted,  it  is  by  his  own 
desire  that  he  is  enticed  and  allured.  Then  desire  conceives 
and  gives  birth  to  sin,  and  when  sin  is  mature,  it  brings  forth 
death.  Do  not  be  misled,  my  dear  brothers.  Every  good 
gift  and  every  perfect  present  is  from  heaven,  and  comes 
down  from  the  Father  of  the  heavenly  lights,  about  whom 
there  is  no  variation  of  changing  shadow.  Of  his  own  accord 

426 


1:1-18 


THE  LETTER  OF  JAMES 


427 


he  brought  us  into  being  through  the  message  of  truth,  so  that 
we  might  be  a  kind  of  first-fruits  among  his  creatures. 

You  must  understand  this,  my  dear  brothers.  Everyone 
must  be  quick  to  hear,  slow  to  speak,  slow  to  be  angry,  for 
men’s  anger  does  not  produce  the  uprightness  God  wishes. 
So  strip  yourselves  of  everything  that  soils  you,  and  of  every 
evil  growth,  and  in  a  humble  spirit  let  the  message  that  has 
the  power  to  save  your  souls  be  planted  in  your  hearts. 
Obey  the  message;  do  not  merely  listen  to  it,  and  deceive 
yourselves.  For  anyone  who  merely  listens  to  the  message 
without  obeying  it  is  like  a  man  who  looks  in  a  mirror  at  the 
face  that  nature  gave  him,  and  then  goes  of?  and  immediately 
forgets  what  he  looked  like.  But  whoever  looks  at  the 
faultless  law  that  makes  men  free  and  keeps  looking,  so  that  he 
does  not  just  listen  and  forget,  but  obeys  and  acts  upon  it, 
will  be  blessed  in  what  he  does.  If  anyone  thinks  he  is 
religious,  and  does  not  bridle  his  tongue,  but  deceives  himself, 
his  religious  observances  are  of  no  account.  A  religious 
observance  that  is  pure  and  stainless  in  the  sight  of  God  the 
Father  is  this:  to  look  after  orphans  and  widows  in  their 
trouble,  and  keep  one’s  self  unstained  by  the  world. 

My  brothers,  do  you  try  to  combine  faith  in  our  glorious 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  acts  of  partiality  ?  For  if  a  finely 
dressed  man  with  a  gold  ring  comes  into  a  meeting,  and  a  poor 
man  in  shabby  clothes  comes  in  also,  and  you  pay  attention  to 
the  man  in  the  fine  clothes  and  say  to  him,  “Sit  here;  this 
is  a  good  place!”  and  say  to  the  poor  man,  “Stand  up,  or  sit 
on  the  floor  at  my  feet,”  have  you  not  wavered  and  shown 
that  your  judgments  are  guided  by  base  motives  ?  Listen, 
my  dear  brothers.  Has  not  God  chosen  the  world’s  poor 
to  be  rich  in  faith,  and  to  possess  the  kingdom  that  he  prom¬ 
ised  to  those  who  love  him  ?  But  you  humiliate  the  poor. 
Are  not  the  rich  your  oppressors  ?  Is  it  not  they  who  drag 
you  into  court  ?  Is  it  not  they  who  slander  the  noble  name 
you  bear  ?  If  you  really  obey  the  supreme  law  where  the 
Scripture  says,  “You  must  love  your  neighbor  as  you  do 
yourself,”  you  are  doing  right,  but  if  you  show  partiality,  you 
are  committing  a  sin,  and  stand  convicted  before  the  Law 
as  law-breakers.  For  anyone  who  obeys  the  whole  of  the  Law 

1:19-2:10 


428 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


but  makes  one  single  slip  is  guilty  of  breaking  it  all.  For 
he  who  said,  “You  must  not  commit  adultery,”  said  also, 
“You  must  not  commit  murder.”  Now  if  you  abstain  from 
adultery,  but  commit  murder,  you  are  still  a  violator  of  the 
Law.  You  must  talk  and  act  like  men  who  expect  to  be 
judged  by  the  law  that  treats  men  as  free.  For  the  merciless 
will  be  mercilessly  judged;  but  mercy  will  triumph  over  judg¬ 
ment. 

My  brothers,  what  is  the  good  of  a  man’s  saying  he  has 
faith,  if  he  has  no  good  deeds  to  show  ?  Can  faith  save  him  ? 
If  some  brother  or  sister  has  no  clothes  and  has  not  food 
enough  for  a  day,  and  one  of  you  says  to  them,  “Goodbye, 
keep  warm  and  have  plenty  to  eat,”  without  giving  them  the 
necessaries  of  life,  what  good  does  it  do  ?  So  faith  by  itself, 
if  it  has  no  good  deeds  to  show,  is  dead.  But  someone  may 
say,  “You  have  faith,  and  I  good  deeds.”  Show  me  your 
faith  without  any  good  deeds,  and  I  will  show  you  my  faith 
by  my  good  deeds.  Do  you  believe  in  one  God  ?  Very 
well!  So  do  the  demons,  and  they  shudder.  But  do  you 
want  proof,  my  senseless  friend,  that  faith  without  good  deeds 
amounts  to  nothing  ?  Was  not  our  forefather  Abraham 
made  upright  for  his  good  deeds,  for  offering  his  son  Isaac  on 
the  altar?  You  see  that  in  his  case  faith  and  good  deeds 
worked  together;  faith  found  its  highest  expression  in  good 
deeds,  and  so  the  Scripture  came  true  that  says,  “Abraham 
had  faith  in  God,  and  it  was  credited  to  him  as  uprightness, 
and  he  was  called  God’s  friend.”  You  see  a  man  is  made 
upright  by  his  good  deeds  and  not  simply  by  having  faith. 
Was  not  even  Rahab  the  prostitute  made  upright  for  her 
good  deeds,  in  entertaining  the  scouts  and  sending  them  off 
by  a  different  road  ?  Just  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is 
dead,  faith  is  dead  without  good  deeds. 

Not  many  of  you  should  become  teachers,  my  brothers, 
for  you  know  that  we  who  teach  will  be  judged  with  greater 
strictness.  For  we  all  make  many  mistakes.  Anyone  who 
never  makes  a  mistake  in  what  he  says  has  a  character  that 
is  fully  developed  and  is  able  to  control  his  whole  body  as  well. 
If  we  put  bridles  into  horses’  mouths  to  make  them  obey  us, 
we  can  guide  their  whole  bodies.  Even  ships,  great  as  they 

2:11-3:4 


THE  LETTER  OF  JAMES 


429 

are,  and  driven  by  strong  winds,  are  steered  with  a  very  small 
rudder  wherever  the  pilot  pleases.  So  the  tongue  is  a  little 
organ  and  yet  very  boastful.  What  a  great  forest  a  spark 
will  set  on  lire!  And  the  tongue  is  a  lire,  a  world  of  wrong 
the  tongue  proves  in  our  bodies,  soiling  the  whole  body  and 
setting  lire  to  the  whole  round  of  nature,  and  set  on  lire  itself 
by  hell.  For  every  kind  of  animal  and  bird,  reptile  and  sea 
creature,  can  be  tamed  and  has  been  tamed  by  man,  but  no 
human  being  can  tame  the  tongue.  It  is  an  irreconcilable 
evil,  full  of  deadly  poison.  With  it  we  bless  the  Lord  our 
Father,  and  with  it  we  curse  men  made  in  God’s  likeness. 
Blessing  and  cursing  issue  from  the  same  mouth!  This  is 
not  right,  my  brothers.  Does  a  spring  pour  forth  fresh  and 
brackish  water  from  the  same  crevice  ?  Can  a  lig  tree  produce 
olives,  my  brothers,  or  a  grape  vine  figs  ?  A  salt  spring  cannot 
give  fresh  water. 

What  wise,  intelligent  man  is  there  among  you  ?  Let  him 
show  by  his  good  life  that  what  he  does  is  done  in  the  humility 
of  wisdom.  But  if  you  cherish  bitter  feelings  of  jealousy  and 
rivalry  in  your  hearts,  do  not  pride  yourselves  on  it  and  thus 
belie  the  truth.  Such  wisdom  does  not  come  from  above. 
It  is  earthly,  animal,  demon-like.  For  wherever  jealousy 
and  rivalry  exist,  there  will  be  confusion  and  every  low  action. 
The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  of  all  pure,  then 
peaceable,  considerate,  willing  to  yield,  full  of  compassion  and 
good  deeds,  whole-hearted,  straightforward.  The  harvest 
uprightness  yields  must  be  sown  in  peace,  by  peacemakers. 

What  causes  wars  and  fights  among  you  ?  Is  it  not  your 
cravings,  which  are  at  war  within  your  bodies  ?  You  crave 
things,  and  cannot  have  them,  and  so  you  commit  murder. 
You  covet  things,  and  cannot  get  them,  and  so  you  quarrel 
and  fight.  You  do  not  have  things  because  you  do  not  ask 
for  them.  You  ask  and  fail  to  get  them  because  you  ask 
with  wrong  motives,  to  spend  them  on  your  pleasures.  You 
renegades!  Do  you  not  know  that  the  friendship  of  the  world 
means  enmity  with  God  ?  So  whoever  wishes  to  be  the 
world’s  friend  declares  himself  God’s  enemy.  Do  you  suppose 
the  Scripture  means  nothing  when  it  says,  “He  yearns 
jealously  over  the  Spirit  he  has  put  in  our  hearts  ?”  But  he 

3: 5-4:6 


4  3° 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


gives  all  the  greater  blessing.  As  the  Scripture  says,  “God 
opposes  haughty  persons,  but  he  blesses  humble-minded 
ones.”  Therefore,  submit  to  God.  Resist  the  devil  and  he 
will  fly  from  you.  Approach  God,  and  he  will  approach  you. 
Wash  your  hands,  you  sinners!  Make  your  hearts  pure,  you 
doubters !  Be  miserable,  grieve,  and  weep  aloud !  Turn  your 
laughter  into  grief  and  your  happiness  into  gloom.  Humble 
yourselves  before  the  Lord,  and  he  will  raise  you  up. 

Do  not  talk  against  one  another,  brothers.  Whoever 
talks  against  a  brother  or  condemns  his  brother  talks  against 
the  Law,  and  condemns  the  Law.  But  if  you  condemn  the 
Law  you  are  not  an  observer  of  the  Law  but  its  judge.  There 
is  only  one  lawgiver  and  judge — he  who  has  the  power  to  save 
and  to  destroy;  who  are  you,  to  judge  your  neighbor  ? 

Come  now,  you  who  say,  “Today  or  tomorrow  we  are 
going  to  such  and  such  a  town,  to  stay  a  year  and  go  into 
business  and  make  money,”  when  you  do  not  know  what 
your  life  will  be  like  tomorrow!  You  are  just  a  mist,  which 
appears  for  a  little  while  and  then  disappears.  This,  instead 
of  saying,  “  If  it  is  the  Lord’s  will,  we  shall  live  to  do  this  or 
that.”  But,  as  it  is,  you  pride  yourselves  on  your  preten¬ 
sions.  All  such  pride  is  wrong.  So  when  a  man  knows  what 
is  right  and  fails  to  do  it,  he  is  guilty  of  sin. 

Come  now,  you  rich  people !  weep  aloud  and  howl  over  the 
miseries  that  are  going  to  overtake  you!  Your  wealth  has 
rotted,  your  clothes  are  moth-eaten,  your  gold  and  silver  are 
rusted,  and  their  rust  will  testify  against  you  and  eat  into 
your  very  flesh,  for  you  have  stored  up  fire  for  the  last  days. 
Why,  the  wages  you  have  withheld  from  the  laborers  who  have 
reaped  your  harvests  cry  aloud,  and  the  cries  of  the  harvesters 
have  reached  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  You  have  lived 
luxuriously  and  voluptuously  here  on  earth;  you  have 
fattened  your  hearts  for  the  day  of  slaughter.  You  have 
condemned  and  murdered  the  upright.  Will  he  make  no 
resistance  ? 

So  be  patient,  brothers,  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 
The  farmer  has  to  wait  for  the  precious  crop  from  the  ground, 
and  be  patient  with  it,  until  it  gets  the  early  and  the  late 
rains.  You  must  have  patience  too;  you  must  keep  up  your 

4‘7”5*8 


THE  LETTER  OF  JAMES 


43i 


courage,  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  close  at  hand.  Do  not 
complain  of  one  another,  brothers,  or  you  will  be  judged. 
The  judge  is  standing  right  at  the  door!  As  an  example, 
brothers,  of  ill-treatment  patiently  endured,  take  the  prophets, 
who  have  spoken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Why,  we  call  those 
who  showed  such  endurance  happy!  You  have  heard  of  the 
steadfastness  of  Job,  and  you  have  seen  what  the  Lord  brought 
out  of  it,  for  the  Lord  is  very  kind  and  merciful. 

Above  all,  my  brothers,  do  not  swear  an  oath,  either  by 
heaven  or  by  the  earth,  or  by  anything  else;  let  your  “Yes” 
be  a  plain  Yes,  and  your  “No”  a  plain  No,  or  you  will  fall 
under  condemnation. 

If  any  one  of  you  is  in  trouble,  he  should  pray.  If  any  one 
is  in  good  spirits,  he  should  sing  a  hymn.  If  any  one  is  sick, 
he  should  call  in  the  elders  of  the  church  and  have  them  pray 
over  him,  and  pour  oil  on  him  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  prayer  offered  in  faith  will  save  the  sick  man;  the  Lord 
will  restore  him  to  health,  and  if  he  has  committed  sins,  he  will 
be  forgiven.  So  confess  your  sins  to  one  another  and  pray 
for  one  another,  so  that  you  may  be  cured.  An  upright  man 
can  do  a  great  deal  by  prayer  when  he  tries.  Elijah  was  a 
man  like  us,  and  he  prayed  earnestly  that  it  might  not  rain, 
and  for  three  years  and  six  months  there  was  no  rain  in  the 
land.  Then  he  prayed  again,  and  the  heavens  yielded  rain 
and  the  earth  produced  crops.  My  brothers,  if  any  one  of  you 
is  led  astray  from  the  truth,  and  someone  brings  him  back, 
you  may  be  sure  that  whoever  brings  a  sinner  back  from  his 
misguided  way  will  save  the  man’s  soul  from  death,  and 
cover  up  a  host  of  sins. 


5 : 9~2° 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  PETER 


Peter,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  those  who  are 
scattered  as  foreigners  over  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia, 
Asia,  and  Bithynia,  whom  God  the  Father  has  chosen  and 
predestined  by  the  consecration  of  the  Spirit  to  be  obedient 
to  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  be  sprinkled  with  his  blood;  God  bless 
you  and  give  you  perfect  peace. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ! 
In  his  great  mercy  he  has  caused  us  to  be  born  anew  to  a  life 
of  hope  through  Jesus  Christ’s  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and 
to  an  imperishable,  unsullied,  and  unfading  inheritance,  which 
is  kept  safe  for  you  in  heaven,  and  you  by  God’s  power  are 
being  protected  through  faith  to  receive  a  salvation  that  is 
now  ready  to  be  disclosed  at  the  last  time.  Rejoice  over  this, 
although  just  now  perhaps  distressed  by  various  trials;  they 
are  to  show  that  your  faith  when  tested  is  found  to  be  more 
precious  than  gold,  which  though  it  is  perishable  is  tested  with 
fire,  and  they  will  bring  you  praise,  glory,  and  honor  when 
Jesus  Christ  is  revealed.  You  must  love  him,  though  you 
have  not  seen  him,  but  since  you  believe  in  him  though  you  do 
not  now  see  him,  rejoice  with  triumphant,  unutterable  joy 
to  attain  the  goal  of  faith,  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 

About  this  salvation  the  prophets  who  prophesied  of  the 
blessing  that  was  destined  for  you  made  the  most  careful  in¬ 
vestigation,  trying  to  learn  for  what  possible  time  the  spirit  of 
Christ  within  them  in  predicting  the  sufferings  destined  for 
Christ  intended  them  and  the  glories  that  were  to  follow  them. 
It  was  disclosed  to  them  that  they  were  serving  not  themselves 
but  you  in  dealing  with  these  things,  which  have  now  been  told 
you  by  those  who  through  the  holy  Spirit  sent  from  heaven 
brought  you  the  good  news;  things  into  which  angels  long  to 
look! 

Therefore,  prepare  your  minds  for  action,  and  with  perfect 
calmness  fix  your  hopes  on  the  mercy  that  you  are  to  experi¬ 
ence  when  Jesus  Christ  is  revealed.  Like  obedient  children. 


1:1-14 


43  2 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  PETER 


433 


do  not  adapt  yourselves  to  the  cravings  you  used  to  follow 
when  you  were  ignorant,  but  like  the  holy  Being  who  has 
called  you,  you  must  also  prove  holy  in  all  your  conduct,  for 
the  Scripture  says, 

“You  must  be  holy, 

Because  I  am  holy.” 

And  if  you  address  him  as  Father  who  judges  everyone 
impartially  by  what  he  does,  you  must  live  reverently  all  the 
time  you  stay  here,  for  you  know  that  you  have  not  been 
ransomed  with  anything  perishable  like  silver  or  gold,  from  the 
futile  way  of  living  in  which  you  were  brought  up,  but  with 
precious  blood,  like  that  of  an  unblemished,  spotless  lamb, 
the  blood  of  Christ,  who  was  predestined  for  this  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  but  was  revealed  only  at  the  end 
of  the  ages,  for  the  sake  of  you  who  through  him  trust  in  God, 
who  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  showed  him  honor;  and 
so  your  faith  and  hope  rest  on  God. 

Now  that  by  obeying  the  truth  you  have  purified  your 
souls  for  sincere  love  of  the  brotherhood,  you  must  love  one 
another  intensely  and  heartily,  for  you  have  been  born  anew 
from  a  germ  not  perishable,  but  imperishable,  through  the 
message  of  the  living,  everlasting  God.  For 
“All  flesh  is  like  grass, 

And  all  its  glory  like  the  flower  of  the  grass. 

The  grass  withers, 

And  the  flower  fades, 

But  the  word  of  the  Lord  will  last  forever,” 
that  is,  the  good  news  that  has  been  brought  to  you. 

Free  yourselves,  therefore,  from  all  malice,  deceit, 
hypocrisy,  envy,  and  slander  of  any  kind,  and  like  new-born 
babes  crave  the  pure  spiritual  milk  that  will  make  you  grow  up 
to  salvation,  since  you  have  tasted  the  Lord’s  kindness. 
Come  to  him,  as  to  a  living  stone  rejected  by  men,  but  chosen 
and  prized  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  build  yourselves  up  as 
living  stones  into  a  spiritual  house  for  a  consecrated  priest¬ 
hood,  so  as  to  offer  spiritual  sacrifices  that  through  Jesus 
Christ  will  be  acceptable  to  God.  For  it  says  in  Scripture, 
“Here  I  lay  a  choice  stone  in  Zion,  a  costly  cornerstone; 

No  one  who  believes  in  it  will  ever  be  disappointed!” 

1:15-2:6 


434 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


It  is  you,  therefore,  who  believe  who  see  its  value,  but  for  men 
who  do  not  believe, 

“The  stone  which  the  builders  refused  has  been 
made  a  cornerstone,” 

and 

“A  stone  to  stumble  over,  and  a  rock  to  trip  them  up.” 
They  stumble  over  the  message  because  they  will  not  obey 
it;  that  is  their  destiny.  But  you  are  the  chosen  race,  the 
royal  priesthood,  the  consecrated  nation,  his  own  people,  so 
that  you  may  declare  the  virtues  of  him  who  has  called  you  out 
of  darkness  into  his  wonderful  light;  you  who  were  once 
“no  people”  but  are  now  “God’s  people”;  once  “unpitied” 
but  now  “pitied  indeed.” 

Dear  friends,  I  beg  you,  as  aliens  and  exiles  here,  not 
to  indulge  the  physical  cravings  that  are  at  war  with  the 
soul.  Live  upright  lives  among  the  heathen,  so  that  even  if 
they  charge  you  with  being  evil-doers,  they  may  from  observ¬ 
ing  the  uprightness  of  your  conduct  come  to  praise  God  on  the 
Day  of  Judgment. 

Submit  to  all  human  authority,  for  the  Master’s  sake; 
to  the  emperor,  as  supreme,  and  to  governors,  as  sent  by  him 
to  punish  evil-doers,  and  to  encourage  those  who  do  right. 
For  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  by  doing  right  you  should 
silence  the  ignorant  charges  of  foolish  people.  Live  like  free 
men,  only  do  not  make  your  freedom  an  excuse  for  doing 
wrong,  but  be  slaves  of  God.  Treat  everyone  with  respect. 
Love  the  brotherhood,  be  reverent  to  God,  respect  the 
emperor. 

You  servants  must  be  submissive  to  your  masters  and 
perfectly  respectful  to  them;  not  only  to  those  who  are  kind 
and  considerate,  but  also  to  those  who  are  unreasonable.  For 
God  approves  a  man  if  from  a  sense  of  duty  he  endures 
suffering  unjustly  inflicted — for  what  credit  is  there  in  your 
enduring  being  beaten  for  doing  wrong  ?  But  if  you  endure 
suffering  for  doing  what  is  right,  you  have  God’s  approval. 
That  is  the  life  to  which  you  have  been  called,  for  Christ 
himself  suffered  for  you,  leaving  you  an  example  so  that  you 
might  follow  his  footsteps.  He  committed  no  sin,  and 
deceit  was  never  on  his  lips.  He  was  abused  but  he  did  not 


2:7—23 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  PETER 


435 


retort.  He  suffered  but  he  did  not  threaten,  but  committed 
his  case  to  him  who  judges  justly.  He  carried  the  burden  of 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  cross,  in  order  that  we  might 
die  to  sin  and  live  for  uprightness.  By  his  wounds  you  have 
been  healed.  For  you  were  astray  like  sheep,  but  now  you 
have  returned  to  the  shepherd  and  guardian  of  your  souls. 

You  married  women,  in  the  same  way,  must  be  submissive 
to  your  husbands,  so  that  any  who  refuse  to  believe  the 
message  may  be  won  over  without  argument  through  the 
behavior  of  their  wives  when  they  see  how  chaste  and  sub¬ 
missive  you  are.  Y ou  must  not  adopt  the  external  attractions 
of  arranging  the  hair  and  wearing  jewelry  and  dress;  yours 
must  be  the  inner  beauty  of  character,  the  imperishable  attrac¬ 
tion  of  a  quiet  and  gentle  spirit,  which  has  great  value  in  the 
sight  of  God.  It  was  in  that  way  in  ancient  times  that 
those  pious  women  who  set  their  hopes  on  God  made  them¬ 
selves  attractive.  They  were  submissive  to  their  husbands, 
like  Sarah,  who  obeyed  Abraham,  and  called  him  Master. 
You  are  true  daughters  of  hers,  if  you  do  right  and  are  un¬ 
afraid. 

You  married  men  also  must  be  considerate  in  living  with 
your  wives.  You  must  show  deference  to  women  as  the 
weaker  sex,  sharing  the  gift  of  life  with  you,  so  that  there  may 
be  nothing  to  interfere  with  your  prayers. 

Finally,  you  must  all  be  harmonious,  sympathizing,  loving, 
tender-hearted,  modest,  not  returning  evil  for  evil,  or  abuse  for 
abuse.  You  must  bless  people  instead.  It  is  for  this  that  you 
were  called — to  obtain  blessing.  For 
“Let  him  who  would  enjoy  life 
And  see  happy  days, 

Keep  his  tongue  from  evil, 

And  his  lips  from  uttering  deceit. 

Let  him  turn  away  from  evil  and  do  right, 

Let  him  seek  peace  and  go  after  it. 

For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  upright  men, 

And  his  ears  are  open  to  their  entreaty, 

But  the  Lord’s  face  is  set  against  men  that  do  wrong.’’ 
And  who  is  there  that  can  hurt  you  if  you  are  eager  to  do 
what  is  right  ?  Even  if  you  should  suffer  for  uprightness, 

2:24-3:14 


43  6 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


you  are  blessed.  But  do  not  be  afraid  of  them,  nor  be 
troubled,  but  reverence  Christ  in  your  hearts  as  Lord,  and 
always  be  ready  to  make  your  defense  to  anyone  who  calls 
you  to  account  for  the  hope  that  you  have.  But  do  so  gently 
and  respectfully,  and  keep  your  conscience  clear,  so  that  those 
who  abuse  your  upright  Christian  conduct  may  be  made 
ashamed  of  their  slanders.  For  it  is  better  to  suffer  for  doing 
right,  if  that  should  be  God’s  will,  than  for  doing  wrong.  For 
Christ  himself  died  once  for  all,  for  sin,  an  upright  man  for 
unrighteous  men,  to  bring  us  to  God,  and  was  physically  put 
to  death,  but  he  was  made  alive  in  the  Spirit.  In  it  Enoch 
went  and  preached  even  to  those  spirits  that  were  in  prison, 
who  had  once  been  disobedient,  when  in  Noah’s  time  God 
in  his  patience  waited  for  the  ark  to  be  made  ready,  in  which 
a  few  people,  eight  in  all,  were  brought  safely  through  the 
water.  Baptism,  which  corresponds  to  it,  now  saves  you  also 
(not  as  the  mere  removing  of  physical  stain,  but  as  the  craving 
for  a  conscience  right  with  God) — through  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ,  who  has  gone  to  heaven  and  is  at  God’s  right 
hands,  with  angels,  hierarchies,  and  powers  made  subject 
to  him. 

Since  Christ  therefore  has  suffered  in  our  physical 
nature,  you  must  also  arm  yourselves  with  the  same  resolve. 
For  he  who  suffers  in  his  physical  nature  has  done  with  sin, 
and  no  longer  lives  by  what  men  desire,  but  for  the  rest  of 
his  earthly  life  by  what  God  wills.  You  have  spent  time 
enough  in  the  past  in  doing  as  the  heathen  like  to  do,  indulging 
in  sensuality,  passion,  drunkenness,  carousing,  dissipation, 
and  detestable  idolatry.  They  are  amazed  that  you  no 
longer  join  them  in  plunging  into  the  flood  of  dissipation, 
and  they  abuse  you  for  it;  but  they  will  have  to  answer  for  it 
to  him  who  is  ready  to  judge  living  and  dead.  This  is  why 
the  good  news  was  preached  to  the  dead  also,  that  though 
they  are  judged  in  their  physical  nature  as  men  are,  they  may 
yet  live,  like  God,  in  the  Spirit. 

But  the  end  of  all  things  is  near.  Be  serious  and  collected, 
therefore,  and  pray.  Above  all  keep  your  love  for  one 
another  strong,  because  love  covers  up  a  host  of  sins.  Be 
ungrudgingly  hospitable  to  one  another.  Whatever  the 

3:15-4:10 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  PETER 


437 


endowment  God  has  given  you,  use  it  in  service  to  one 
another,  like  good  dispensers  of  God’s  varied  mercy.  If  one 
preaches,  let  him  do  it  like  one  who  utters  the  words  of  God; 
if  one  does  some  service,  let  him  do  it  as  with  strength  which 
God  supplies,  so  that  in  everything  God  may  be  glorified 
through  Jesus  Christ.  To  him  belong  glory  and  dominion 
forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

Dear  friends,  do  not  be  surprised  that  a  test  of  fire  is 
being  applied  to  you,  as  though  a  strange  thing  were  happen¬ 
ing  to  you,  but  be  glad  that  you  are  in  a  measure  sharing  the 
sufferings  of  the  Christ,  so  that  when  his  glory  is  revealed  you 
may  be  triumphantly  happy.  If  you  are  being  abused  for  the 
sake  of  Christ,  you  are  blessed,  because  the  glorious  Spirit  of 
God  is  resting  upon  you.  For  no  one  of  you  must  suffer  as  a 
murderer  or  thief  or  criminal  or  revolutionist,  but  if  a  man 
suffers  for  being  a  Christian,  he  must  not  be  ashamed  of  it, 
but  must  do  honor  to  God  through  that  name.  For  the  time 
has  come  for  the  judgment  to  begin  with  the  household  of 
God,  and  if  it  begins  with  us,  what  will  be  the  end  of  those  who 
refuse  God’s  good  news  ?  If  it  is  hard  for  the  upright  man  to 
be  saved,  what  will  become  of  the  godless  and  sinful  ?  There¬ 
fore,  those  who  suffer  by  the  will  of  God  must  intrust  their 
souls  to  a  Creator  who  is  faithful,  and  continue  to  do  what  is 
right. 

I  appeal  therefore  to  those  who  are  elders  among  you; 
I  am  their  brother-elder  and  a  witness  to  what  the  Christ 
suffered,  and  I  am  to  share  in  the  glory  that  is  to  be  revealed — 
be  shepherds  of  the  flock  of  God  that  is  among  you,  not  as 
though  it  were  forced  upon  you  but  of  your  own  free  will,  and 
not  from  base  love  of  gain  but  freely,  and  not  as  tyrannizing 
over  those  in  your  charge  but  proving  models  for  the  flock; 
and  when  the  chief  shepherd  appears,  you  will  receive  the 
glorious  wreath  that  will  never  fade.  You  younger  men 
must  show  deference  to  the  elders.  And  you  must  all  clothe 
yourselves  in  humility  toward  one  another,  for  God  opposes 
the  proud,  but  shows  mercy  to  the  humble.  Submit  humbly, 
therefore,  to  God’s  mighty  hand,  so  that  he  may  in  due  time 
raise  you  up.  Throw  all  your  anxiety  upon  him,  for  he  cares 
for  you.  Be  calm  and  watchful.  Your  opponent  the  devil 


43  8 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


is  prowling  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  wanting  to  devour  you. 
Resist  him  and  be  strong  in  the  faith,  for  you  know  that  your 
brotherhood  all  over  the  world  is  having  the  same  experience 
of  suffering.  And  God,  the  giver  of  all  mercy,  who  through 
your  union  with  Christ  has  called  you  to  his  eternal  glory, 
after  you  have  suffered  a  little  while  will  himself  make  you 
perfect,  steadfast,  and  strong.  His  be  the  dominion  forever. 
Amen. 

By  Silvanus,  our  faithful  brother,  as  I  think  him,  I  have 
written  you  this  short  letter  to  encourage  you  and  bear  my 
testimony  that  this  is  what  the  true  mercy  of  God  means. 
Stand  fast  in  it.  Your  sister-church  in  Babylon,  chosen  like 
you,  and  Mark  my  son  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you. 
Greet  one  another  with  a  kiss  of  love. 

Peace  to  all  of  you  that  are  in  union  with  Christ. 


5:9-14 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  OF  PETER 


Simon  Peter,  a  slave  and  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  those 
who  through  the  uprightness  of  our  God  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ  have  been  given  a  faith  as  privileged  as  ours;  God  bless 
you  and  give  you  perfect  peace  through  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  of  Jesus  our  Lord.  For  his  divine  power  has  given  us  every 
requisite  for  life  and  piety,  through  our  coming  to  know  him 
who  through  his  glory  and  excellence  called  us  to  him.  Thus  he 
has  given  us  his  precious  and  splendid  promises  so  that  through 
them  you  may  escape  the  corrupting  influences  that  exist  in 
the  world  through  passion,  and  come  to  share  in  the  divine 
nature.  For  this  very  reason  make  every  effort  to  supple¬ 
ment  your  faith  with  goodness,  goodness  with  knowledge, 
knowledge  with  self-control,  self-control  with  steadfastness, 
steadfastness  with  piety,  piety  with  a  spirit  of  brotherhood, 
and  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  with  love.  For  if  you  have  these 
qualities  in  their  fulness,  they  will  make  you  neither  idle 
nor  unproductive  when  it  comes  to  the  understanding  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  whoever  lacks  these  qualities  is 
blind  or  near-sighted,  and  has  forgotten  that  he  has  been 
cleansed  from  his  former  sins.  Therefore,  brothers,  make  all 
the  greater  efforts  to  make  God’s  call  and  choice  of  you  certain. 
For  if  you  have  these  qualities,  you  will  never  stumble,  for 
then  you  will  be  triumphantly  admitted  to  the  eternal  king¬ 
dom  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ. 

Therefore  I  will  always  remind  you  of  this,  although 
you  know  it  and  are  firmly  grounded  in  the  truth  that  you 
have.  Yet  I  think  it  right,  as  long  as  I  live  in  my  present 
tent,  to  arouse  you  by  a  reminder,  for  I  know  that  I  must 
soon  put  it  away,  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  shown  me. 
I  will  also  take  care  that  after  I  am  gone  you  will  be  able  at 
any  time  to  call  these  things  to  mind.  For  they  were  no 
fictitious  stories  that  we  followed  when  we  informed  you  of 
the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  of  his  coming,  but  we 
had  been  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty.  For  when  he  was 


439 


1:1-17 


440 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


so  honored  and  glorified  by  God  the  Father  and  from  the 
supreme  glory  there  were  borne  to  him  such  words  as  these: 
“This  is  my  Son,  my  Beloved!  He  is  my  Chosen!” — we 
heard  these  words  borne  from  heaven  when  we  were  with  him 
on  that  sacred  mountain.  So  we  have  the  message  of  the 
prophets  more  fully  guaranteed.  Please  pay  attention  to  that 
message  as  to  a  lamp  shining  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day 
dawns  and  the  morning  star  rises  in  your  hearts.  You  must 
understand  this  in  the  first  place,  that  no  prophecy  in  Scripture 
can  be  understood  through  one’s  own  powers,  for  no  prophecy 
ever  originated  in  the  human  will,  but  under  the  influence  of 
the  holy  Spirit  men  spoke  for  God. 

There  were  false  prophets  too  among  the  people,  just  as 
there  will  be  false  teachers  among  you,  who  will  introduce 
destructive  sects  and  deny  the  Master  who  has  bought  them, 
thus  bringing  on  themselves  swift  destruction.  Many  people 
will  follow  their  immoral  ways,  and  they  will  cause  the  true 
way  to  be  maligned.  In  their  greed  they  will  exploit  you  with 
pretended  arguments.  From  of  old  their  condemnation  has 
not  been  idle,  and  their  destruction  has  not  slumbered.  For 
if  God  did  not  spare  angels  when  they  sinned,  but  plunged 
them  into  Tartarus,  and  committed  them  to  dark  dungeons 
to  await  their  doom,  and  if  he  did  not  spare  the  ancient  world, 
but  preserved  Noah,  a  preacher  of  righteousness,  and  seven 
others,  when  he  brought  the  flood  upon  the  godless  world; 
and  if  he  condemned  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and 
overwhelmed  them  with  ashes,  as  a  warning  to  ungodly  men  of 
what  was  to  come,  and  saved  the  upright  Lot  who  was  so 
distressed  by  the  immoral  conduct  of  unprincipled  men — for 
as  long  as  that  upright  man  lived  among  them,  day  after  day 
his  upright  soul  was  tormented  by  what  he  saw  and  heard  of 
their  lawless  actions — then  the  Lord  knows  how  to  rescue 
God-fearing  people  from  trial  and  to  punish  wrongdoers 
while  they  are  being  kept  for  the  Day  of  Judgment,  especially 
those  who  yield  to  their  physical  nature  and  indulge  in 
passions  that  defile  them,  and  despise  authority.  Rash, 
headstrong  men!  They  stand  in  no  awe  of  majesty,  but 
deride  beings  against  whom  even  angels  far  superior  to  these 
beings  in  strength  and  power  bring  no  abusive  charge  before 

i : i 8-2 : i i 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  OF  PETER 


441 


the  Lord.  These  men,  like  unreasoning  animals,  mere  crea¬ 
tures  of  instinct  created  to  be  caught  and  killed,  abuse  what 
they  do  not  understand  and  will  be  destroyed  like  animals,  suf¬ 
fering  wrong  as  the  reward  for  their  wrongdoing.  They  find 
pleasure  in  the  indulgence  of  the  moment;  they  are  a  stain  and 
a  disgrace,  and  they  revel  in  their  deceit  while  they  join  in  your 
religious  meals.  They  have  eyes  for  nobody  but  adulterous 
women — eyes  insatiable  in  sin.  They  lure  unsteadfast  souls. 
Their  hearts  are  trained  in  greed.  They  are  accursed ! 
They  have  left  the  straight  path  and  gone  astray.  They 
have  followed  the  path  of  Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor,  who  set  his 
heart  on  dishonest  gain,  but  he  was  rebuked  for  his  offense; 
a  dumb  animal  spoke  with  a  human  voice  and  checked  the 
prophet’s  madness.  Such  men  are  dried-up  springs,  clouds 
driven  before  the  storm,  and  they  are  doomed  to  utter 
darkness.  They  utter  arrogant  nonsense  and  use  physical 
cravings  to  lure  into  immorality  men  who  are  just  escaping 
from  among  those  who  live  in  error;  promising  them  freedom 
when  they  are  themselves  slaves  of  destruction;  for  a  man  is 
the  slave  of  whatever  overcomes  him.  For  if  after  men  have 
escaped  the  corrupting  influences  of  the  world  through  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  they  again 
become  entangled  in  them  and  are  overcome  by  them,  their 
final  condition  is  worse  than  their  former  one.  For  it  would 
have  been  better  for  them  never  to  have  known  the  way  of 
uprightness  than  after  knowing  it  to  have  turned  their  backs 
upon  the  sacred  command  with  which  they  had  been  intrusted. 
What  has  happened  to  them  shows  the  truth  of  the  proverb, 
“A  dog  returns  to  what  he  has  vomited  up,  and  a  sow  that  has 
washed  goes  back  to  wallow  in  the  mire.” 

This  is  the  second  letter,  dear  friends,  that  I  have  now 
written  to  you,  in  the  effort  to  arouse  your  unsullied  minds 
to  remember  the  things  foretold  by  the  holy  prophets,  and  the 
command  of  the  Lord  and  Savior  through  your  apostles. 
First  of  all,  you  must  understand  this,  that  in  the  last  days 
mockers  will  come  with  their  mockeries,  going  where  their 
passions  lead  and  saying,  “Where  is  his  promised  coming? 
For  ever  since  our  forefathers  fell  asleep  everything  has 
remained  as  it  was  from  the  beginning  of  creation!”  For 

2:12-3:5 


442 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


they  wilfully  ignore  the  fact  that  long  ago  there  existed  heavens 
and  an  earth  which  had  been  formed  at  God’s  command 
out  of  water  and  by  water,  by  which  also  that  world  was 
destroyed,  through  being  flooded  with  water.  But  by  the 
same  command  the  present  heavens  and  earth  are  stored  up 
for  fire,  and  are  kept  for  the  day  when  godless  men  are  to  be 
judged  and  destroyed. 

But  do  not  overlook  this  one  fact,  dear  friends,  that  with 
the  Lord  one  day  is  like  a  thousand  years  and  a  thousand 
years  are  like  one  day.  The  Lord  is  not  slow  about  his 
promise,  in  the  sense  that  some  men  think;  he  is  really 
showing  his  patience  with  you,  because  he  does  not  want  any 
to  perish,  but  wishes  all  men  to  be  brought  to  repentance. 
The  Day  of  the  Lord  will  come  like  a  thief;  on  it  the  heavens 
will  pass  away  with  a  roar,  the  heavenly  bodies  will  burn  up 
and  be  destroyed,  and  the  earth  and  all  its  works  will  melt 
away.  If  all  these  things  are  to  be  dissolved  in  this  way,  what 
holy  and  pious  lives  you  ought  to  lead,  while  you  await  and 
hasten  the  coming  of  the  Day  of  God,  which  will  cause  the 
heavens  to  burn  up  and  dissolve  and  the  heavenly  bodies  to 
blaze  and  melt!  In  fulfilment  of  his  promise  we  expect  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth,  where  uprightness  will  prevail. 

Therefore,  dear  friends,  while  waiting  for  this,  make 
every  effort  to  be  found  by  him  unstained,  irreproachable, 
and  at  peace.  Look  upon  our  Lord’s  patience  as  salvation, 
just  as  our  dear  brother  Paul,  with  the  wisdom  that  God  gave 
him,  wrote  you  to  do,  speaking  of  it  as  he  does  in  all  his  letters. 
There  are  some  things  in  them  hard  to  understand,  which 
ignorant,  unsteadfast  people  twist  to  their  own  ruin,  just  as 
they  do  the  rest  of  the  Scriptures.  So  you,  dear  friends,  now 
that  you  are  forewarned,  must  be  on  your  guard  against  being 
led  away  by  the  errors  of  unprincipled  men  and  losing  your 
present  firmness.  You  must  grow  in  the  blessing  and 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ.  Glory  to 
him  now  and  forever. 


3:6-18 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  JOHN 


It  is  what  existed  from  the  beginning,  that  we  announce; 
what  we  have  heard,  what  we  have  seen  with  our  own  eyes, 
what  we  have  beheld,  and  touched  with  our  hands;  it  is  the 
very  message  of  life — for  life  has  been  revealed,  and  we 
have  seen  it  and  testify  to  it  and  announce  to  you  that 
eternal  life  that  was  with  the  Father  and  has  been  revealed 
to  us — it  is  what  we  have  seen  and  heard  that  we  announce 
to  you  also,  so  that  you  may  share  our  fellowship,  for  our 
fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
and  we  write  this  to  you  to  make  your  happiness  complete.’ 

This  is  the  message  that  we  heard  from  him  and  announce 
to  you:  God  is  light;  there  is  no  darkness  in  him  at  all. 

If  we  say,  “We  have  fellowship  with  him,”  and  yet  live 
in  darkness,  we  are  lying  and  not  living  the  truth.  But  if 
we  live  in  the  light,  just  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship 
with  one  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  his  Son  cleanses  us 
from  every  sin.  If  we  say,  “We  are  without  any  sin,”  we  are 
deceiving  ourselves,  and  there  is  no  truth  in  our  hearts.  If  we 
acknowledge  our  sins,  he  is  upright  and  can  be  depended  on  to 
forgive  our  sins  and  cleanse  us  from  everything  wrong.  If 
we  say,  “We  have  not  sinned,”  we  are  making  him  a  liar, 
and  his  message  is  not  in  our  hearts. 

My  dear  children,  I  am  writing  you  this  so  that  you  may 
not  sin;  yet  if  anyone  does  sin,  we  have  in  Jesus  Christ  one 
who  is  upright  and  will  intercede  for  us  with  the  Father.  He 
is  himself  an  atoning  sacrifice  for  our  sins,  and  not  only  for 
ours  but  also  for  the  whole  world.  This  is  how  we  can  be 
sure  that  we  know  him — by  obeying  his  commands.  Who¬ 
ever  says,  “I  know  him,”  but  does  not  obey  his  commands, 
is  a  liar,  and  there  is  no  truth  in  his  heart;  but  whoever  obeys 
his  message  really  has  the  love  of  God  in  perfection  in  his 
heart.  This  is  the  way  we  can  be  sure  that  we  are  in  union 
with  him;  whoever  says  “I  am  always  in  union  with  him” 
must  live  just  as  he  lived. 


443 


i :  1-2:6 


444 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Dear  friends,  it  is  no  new  command  that  I  am  writing 
you,  but  an  old  one  that  you  have  had  from  the  beginning. 
That  old  command  is  the  same  as  the  message  you  have 
heard.  Yet  it  is  a  new  command  that  I  am  writing  you; 
it  is  newly  realized  in  him  and  in  yourselves,  for  the  darkness 
is  passing  and  the  true  light  is  already  shining. 

Whoever  says, “I  am  in  the  light,”  and  yet  hates  his  brother, 
is  still  in  darkness.  Whoever  loves  his  brother  is  always  in  the 
light  and  puts  no  hindrance  in  anyone’s  way.  But  whoever  hates 
his  brother  is  in  darkness,  and  is  living  in  darkness,  and  he  does 
not  know  where  he  is  going,  for  the  darkness  has  blinded  his  eyes. 

I  am  writing  to  you,  dear  children,  because  your  sins  have 
been  forgiven  for  his  sake.  I  am  writing  to  you,  fathers, 
because  you  know  him  who  has  existed  from  the  beginning. 
I  am  writing  to  you,  young  men,  because  you  have  been 
victorious  over  the  evil  one.  I  write  to  you,  children,  because 
you  know  the  Father.  I  write  to  you,  fathers,  because  you 
know  him  who  has  existed  from  the  beginning.  I  write  to 
you,  young  men,  because  you  are  strong,  and  God’s  message 
is  always  in  your  hearts,  and  you  have  been  victorious  over 
the  evil  one.  Do  not  love  the  world  or  what  is  in  the  world. 
If  anyone  loves  the  world,  there  is  no  love  for  the  Father  in 
his  heart,  for  all  that  there  is  in  the  world,  the  things  that 
our  physical  nature  and  our  eyes  crave,  and  the  proud  display 
of  life — these  do  not  come  from  the  Father,  but  from  the 
world;  and  the  world  with  its  cravings  is  passing  away,  but 
whoever  does  God’s  will  will  endure  forever. 

Children,  it  is  the  last  hour.  You  have  heard  that 
Antichrist  is  coming,  and  many  Antichrists  have  indeed 
appeared.  So  we  may  be  sure  that  it  is  the  last  hour.  They 
have  gone  out  from  our  number,  but  they  did  not  really  belong 
to  us.  For  if  they  had,  they  would  have  stayed  with  us. 
It  was  to  make  it  clear  that  none  of  them  really  belonged  to 
us  that  they  withdrew.  But  you  have  been  anointed  by  the 
Holy  One.  You  all  know  the  truth;  I  do  not  write  to  you 
because  you  do  not  know  it,  but  because  you  do  know  it, 
and  because  no  lie  can  come  from  the  truth. 

Who  is  such  a  liar  as  the  man  who  denies  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ  ?  He  is  the  real  Antichrist — the  man  who  disowns 

2:7-22 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  JOHN 


445 


the  Father  and  the  Son.  No  one  who  disowns  the  Son  can 
have  the  Father.  Whoever  acknowledges  the  Son  has  the 
Father  too.  Keep  what  you  have  heard  from  the  beginning 
in  your  hearts;  then  you  will  always  be  in  union  with  the 
Son  and  the  Father.  And  what  he  himself  has  promised  us 
is  eternal  life. 

I  write  you  this  with  reference  to  those  who  are  trying 
to  mislead  you.  You  still  retain  in  your  hearts  the  anointing 
with  the  Spirit  that  you  received  from  him,  and  you  do  not 
need  to  have  anyone  teach  you.  But  just  as  that  anointing 
of  his  teaches  you  about  everything,  and  as  it  is  true  and  no 
falsehood,  keep  in  union  with  him  just  as  it  has  taught  you  to 
do.  Now,  dear  children,  keep  in  union  with  him,  so  that 
if  he  appears,  we  may  have  confidence  and  not  shrink  from 
him  in  shame  when  he  comes.  If  you  know  that  he  is 
upright,  you  may  be  sure  that  everyone  who  acts  uprightly 
is  his  child. 

Think  what  love  the  Father  has  had  for  us,  in  letting  us 
be  called  God’s  children,  for  that  is  what  we  are.  This  is 
why  the  world  does  not  know  what  we  are — because  it  has 
never  come  to  know  him.  Dear  friends,  we  are  God’s  children 
now;  it  has  not  yet  been  disclosed  what  we  are  to  be.  We 
know  that  if  he  appears,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is.  And  everyone  who  possesses  this  hope  in  him 
tries  to  make  himself  as  pure  as  he  is. 

Whoever  commits  sin  disobeys  law;  sin  is  disobedience  to 
law.  You  know  that  he  appeared  to  take  our  sins  away,  and 
that  there  is  no  sin  in  him.  No  one  who  keeps  in  union  with 
him  sins.  Anyone  who  sins  has  never  seen  him  or  come  to 
know  him.  Dear  children,  let  no  one  mislead  you;  whoever 
acts  uprightly  is  upright,  just  as  he  is  upright.  Whoever 
commits  sin  is  a  child  of  the  devil,  for  the  devil  has  sinned 
from  the  beginning.  This  is  why  the  Son  of  God  appeared — 
to  undo  the  devil’s  work. 

No  one  who  is  a  child  of  God  commits  sin,  for  God’s  nature 
remains  in  his  heart,  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  a  child 
of  God.  This  is  how  the  children  of  God  and  those  cf  the 
devil  can  be  distinguished:  No  one  who  does  not  act  uprightly 
or  who  does  not  love  his  brother  is  a  child  of  God.  For  the 


2:23-3:11 


446 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


message  you  have  heard  from  the  beginning  is  this:  We  must 
love  one  another.  We  must  not  be  like  Cain  who  was  a 
child  of  the  evil  one,  and  butchered  his  brother.  And  why 
did  he  butcher  him  ?  Because  his  own  actions  were  wicked 
and  his  brother’s  upright. 

You  must  not  be  surprised,  brothers,  if  the  world  hates 
you!  We  know  that  we  have  passed  out  of  death  into  life, 
because  we  love  our  brothers.  Anyone  who  does  not  love  is 
still  in  death.  Whoever  hates  his  brother  is  a  murderer,  and 
you  know  that  no  murderer  can  have  eternal  life  remain  in 
his  heart.  We  know  what  love  means  from  the  fact  that  he 
laid  down  his  life  for  us;  so  we  also  ought  to  lay  down  our 
lives  for  our  brothers.  But  if  someone  who  is  rich  sees  his 
brother  in  need  and  closes  his  heart  against  him,  how  can  he 
have  any  love  for  God  in  his  heart  ?  Dear  children,  let  us  love 
not  with  words  or  lips  only  but  in  reality  and  truth. 

From  that  we  can  be  sure  that  we  are  on  the  side  of  the 
truth,  and  satisfy  our  consciences  in  God’s  sight,  if  they 
condemn  us  for  anything,  for  God  is  greater  than  our  con¬ 
sciences,  and  he  knows  all.  Dear  friends,  if  our  consciences 
do  not  condemn  us,  we  approach  God  with  confidence,  and 
we  obtain  from  him  whatever  we  ask  for,  because  we  are 
obeying  his  commands  and  doing  the  things  that  please  him. 
His  command  is  this — that  we  are  to  believe  in  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another,  as  he  has  commanded  us 
to  do.  All  who  obey  his  commands  keep  in  union  with  him, 
and  he  does  with  them;  and  this  is  how  we  know  that  he 
keeps  in  union  with  us — by  the  Spirit  which  he  has  given  us. 

Dear  friends,  do  not  believe  every  inspired  utterance,  but 
test  the  utterances  to  see  whether  they  come  from  God,  for 
many  false  prophets  have  come  out  into  the  world.  You  can 
tell  the  Spirit  of  God  in  this  way:  all  inspiration  that  acknowl¬ 
edges  that  Jesus  Christ  has  come  in  human  form  comes  from 
God,  and  any  inspired  utterance  that  does  not  acknowledge 
Jesus  does  not  come  from  God;  it  is  the  inspiration  of  the 
Antichrist.  You  have  heard  that  it  was  coming,  and  here 
it  is  already  in  the  world. 

You  are  children  of  God,  dear  children,  and  you  have 
been  victorious  over  these  men,  for  he  who  is  in  our  hearts  is 


3:12-4:4 


THE  FIRST  LETTER  OF  JOHN 


447 


greater  than  he  who  is  in  the  world.  They  are  children  of  the 
world;  that  is  why  they  speak  as  the  world  directs,  and  the 
world  listens  to  them.  We  are  God’s  children.  Whoever 
knows  God  listens  to  us;  whoever  is  not  a  child  of  God  will  not 
listen  to  us.  In  this  way  we  can  tell  what  is  inspired  by  truth 
from  what  is  inspired  by  error. 

Dear  friends,  let  us  love  one  another,  for  love  comes 
from  God,  and  everyone  who  loves  is  a  child  of  God  and  knows 
God.  Whoever  does  not  love  does  not  know  God,  for  God  is 
love.  God’s  love  for  us  has  been  revealed  in  this  way — that 
God  has  sent  his  only  Son  into  the  world,  to  let  us  have  life 
through  him.  The  love  consists  not  in  our  having  loved  God, 
but  in  his  loving  us  and  sending  his  Son  as  an  atoning  sacrifice 
for  our  sins. 

Dear  friends,  if  God  has  loved  us  so,  we  ought  to  love 
one  another.  No  one  has  ever  seen  God;  yet  if  we  love  one 
another,  God  keeps  in  union  with  us  and  love  for  him 
attains  perfection  in  our  hearts.  This  is  the  way  we  know 
that  we  keep  in  union  with  him  and  he  does  with  us — because 
he  has  given  us  some  of  his  Spirit.  We  have  seen  and  can 
testify  that  the  Father  has  sent  the  Son  to  be  Savior  of  the 
world.  If  anyone  acknowledges  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 
of  God,  God  keeps  in  union  with  him  and  he  with  God.  So 
we  know  and  believe  in  the  love  God  has  for  us. 

God  is  love,  and  whoever  continues  to  love  keeps  in  union 
with  God,  and  God  with  him.  Love  attains  perfection  in  us, 
when  we  have  perfect  confidence  about  the  Day  of  Judgment, 
because  here  in  this  world  we  are  living  as  he  lives.  There  is 
no  fear  in  love,  but  perfect  love  drives  out  fear.  For  fear 
suggests  punishment  and  no  one  who  feels  fear  has  attained 
perfect  love.  We  love  because  he  loved  us  first.  If  anyone 
says,  “I  love  God,”  and  yet  hates  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar; 
for  whoever  does  not  love  his  brother  whom  he  has  seen 
cannot  love  God  whom  he  has  not  seen.  This  is  the  command 
that  we  get  from  him,  that  whoever  loves  God  must  love  his 
brother  also. 

Everyone  who  believes  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  a  child 
of  God,  and  everyone  who  loves  the  Father  loves  those  who  are 
his  children.  This  is  how  we  can  be  sure  that  we  love  the 


4:5-5:* 


448 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


children  of  God:  it  is  by  loving  God  and  obeying  his  com¬ 
mands.  For  loving  God  means  obeying  his  commands,  and 
his  commands  are  not  burdensome,  for  every  child  of  God  is 
victorious  over  the  world.  Our  faith  is  the  victory  that  has 
triumphed  over  the  world.  For  who  is  there  that  is  victorious 
over  the  world  except  the  man  who  believes  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God  ?  It  was  he,  Jesus  Christ  himself,  who  came  in 
water  and  in  blood;  not  in  water  only,  but  in  water  and  in 
blood.  The  Spirit  also  testifies  to  this,  for  the  Spirit  is  truth. 
For  there  are  three  that  testify  to  it,  the  Spirit,  the  water, 
and  the  blood,  and  the  three  are  at  one.  If  we  accept  the 
testimony  of  men,  the  testimony  of  God  is  stronger  still;  for 
the  value  of  God’s  testimony  lies  in  this,  that  he  has  testified 
to  his  Son.  Whoever  believes  in  the  Son  of  God  possesses 
that  testimony  in  his  heart.  Anyone  who  will  not  believe 
God  has  made  him  a  liar,  for  he  has  refused  to  believe  the 
testimony  that  God  has  borne  to  his  Son.  And  that  testi¬ 
mony  is  that  God  has  given  us  eternal  life,  and  that  this  life 
is  found  in  his  Son.  Whoever  has  the  Son  has  life;  whoever 
has  not  the  Son  has  not  life. 

I  have  written  this  so  that  you  who  believe  in  the  Son  of 
God  may  know  that  you  have  eternal  life.  And  we  have 
confidence  in  him,  that  if  we  ask  him  for  anything  that  is  in 
accordance  with  his  will,  he  will  listen  to  us.  And  if  we  know 
that  he  listens  to  whatever  we  ask  him  for,  we  know  that  the 
requests  we  have  made  of  him  are  granted.  If  anyone  sees 
his  brother  committing  any  sin  except  a  deadly  one,  he  will 
ask  and  obtain  life  for  him — provided  the  sin  is  not  a  deadly 
one.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  deadly  sin;  I  do  not  say  that  a 
man  should  pray  about  that.  Any  wrongdoing  is  sin,  but 
there  are  sins  that  are  not  deadly. 

We  know  that  no  child  of  God  commits  sin,  but  the  fact 
that  he  is  God’s  child  protects  him,  and  the  evil  one  cannot 
touch  him.  We  know  that  we  are  children  of  God,  while  the 
whole  world  is  under  the  power  of  the  evil  one.  And  we  know 
that  the  Son  of  God  has  come,  and  has  given  us  power  to 
recognize  him  who  is  true;  and  we  are  in  union  with  him 
who  is  true,  through  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life.  Dear  children,  keep  away  from  idols.  ■ 

5:3-21 


THE  SECOND  LETTER  OF  JOHN 


The  Elder  to  the  chosen  lady  and  her  children,  whom  I 
truly  love — and  not  only  I  but  all  who  know  the  truth — 
because  of  the  truth  that  stays  in  our  hearts  and  will  be  with 
us  forever;  blessing,  mercy,  and  peace  be  with  us  from  God 
the  Father  and  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father’s  Son,  in  truth  and 
love. 

It  makes  me  exceedingly  happy  to  find  that  some  of  your 
children  are  guided  by  truth,  just  as  we  have  been  commanded 
to  be  by  the  Father.  And  now  I  beg  you,  my  lady — not  as 
though  I  were  writing  you  any  new  command,  but  one  which 
we  have  had  from  the  beginning — let  us  love  one  another. 
Love  means  this,  that  we  be  guided  by  his  commands.  The 
command,  as  you  have  heard  from  the  beginning,  is  to  be 
guided  by  love.  For  many  impostors  have  gone  out  into  the 
world — men  who  do  not  acknowledge  the  coming  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  human  form.  That  is  the  mark  of  the  impostor  and 
the  Antichrist.  Look  out  for  yourselves,  take  care  not  to 
lose  what  we  have  worked  for,  but  make  sure  that  you  are  paid 
for  it  in  full.  Anyone  who  goes  too  far  and  does  not  keep  to 
the  teaching  of  Christ  has  not  God.  It  is  the  man  who  holds 
to  the  teaching  who  has  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If 
anyone  comes  to  you  without  bringing  this  teaching,  do  not 
let  him  come  into  the  house  or  bid  him  good  morning.  For 
anyone  who  bids  him  good  morning  shares  in  his  wicked  work. 

Though  I  have  a  great  deal  to  write  to  you,  I  would 
rather  not  write  it  with  paper  and  ink,  but  I  hope  to  come 
to  see  you,  and  talk  with  you  face  to  face,  so  that  your 
happiness  may  be  complete.  The  children  of  your  chosen 
sister  wish  to  be  remembered  to  you. 


449 


1-13 


THE  THIRD  LETTER  OF  JOHN 


The  Elder  to  my  dear  friend  Gaiiis,  whom  I  truly  love. 

Dear  friend,  it  is  my  prayer  that  everything  is  going  well 
with  you  and  that  you  are  well;  I  know  it  is  well  with  your 
soul.  For  it  makes  me  exceedingly  happy  to  have  some 
brothers  come  and  testify  to  the  truth  of  your  life,  for  you  are 
guided  by  truth.  I  know  of  no  greater  blessing  than  hearing 
that  my  children  are  being  guided  by  the  truth. 

Dear  friend,  it  is  loyal  of  you  to  do  anything  you  can  for 
the  brothers,  especially  as  they  are  strangers;  they  have 
testified  before  the  church  to  your  love.  Please  see  them  off 
on  their  journey  in  a  way  appropriate  to  God’s  service.  For 
they  have  started  out  for  the  sake  of  the  cause,  and  they  are 
accepting  nothing  from  the  heathen.  So  we  ought  to  support 
such  men,  to  show  that  we  are  ready  to  co-operate  with  the 
truth.  , 

I  have  written  briefly  to  the  church,  but  Diotrephes  who 
likes  to  be  their  leader  will  not  accept  what  I  say.  So  if  I 
come,  I  will  bring  up  the  things  that  he  is  doing,  and  how  he 
is  maliciously  accusing  me.  Not  content  with  that,  he 
refuses  to  welcome  the  brothers  himself,  and  he  is  interfering 
with  those  who  want  to  do  so,  and  has  them  put  out  of  the 
church. 

Dear  friend,  do  not  follow  bad  examples,  but  good  ones. 
The  man  who  does  right  is  a  child  of  God;  the  man  who  does 
wrong  has  never  seen  God.  Everybody  testifies  to  Demetrius; 
the  truth  itself  does;  I  testify  to  him  too,  and  you  know  that 
my  testimony  to  him  is  true. 

I  have  a  great  deal  to  write  to  you,  but  I  do  not  want 
to  write  it  with  pen  and  ink;  I  hope  to  see  you  very  soon  and 
and  we  will  talk  face  to  face.  Goodbye.  Our  friends  wish 
to  be  remembered  to  you.  Remember  me  to  our  friends, 
every  one. 


1-14 


45° 


THE  LETTER  OF  JUDE 


Jude,  a  slave  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  brother  of  James, 
to  those  who  have  been  called,  who  are  dear  to  God  the 
Father  and  have  been  kept  through  union  with  Jesus  Christ; 
may  mercy,  peace,  and  love  be  granted  you  in  abundance. 

Dear  friends,  I  was  just  on  the  point  of  writing  to  you 
about  our  common  salvation,  when  it  became  necessary  for 
me  to  write  and  appeal  to  you  to  come  to  the  defense  of  the 
faith  that  has  once  for  all  been  intrusted  to  God’s  people. 
For  some  people  have  sneaked  in  among  us — their  doom 
was  foretold  long  ago — godless  persons,  who  turn  the  mercy 
of  our  God  into  an  excuse  for  immorality,  and  disown  our 
only  Master  and  Lord,  Jesus  Christ. 

Now  I  want  to  remind  you,  though  you  know  it  all 
already,  that  he  who  brought  the  people  safely  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt  afterward  destroyed  the  ones  who  did  not  believe, 
and  the  angels  who  neglected  their  responsibilities  and 
abandoned  their  homes  he  has  put  in  everlasting  chains  to  be 
kept  in  darkness  for  the  judgment  of  the  great  Day,  just  as 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  and  the  neighboring  towns  which  like 
them  indulged  in  immorality  and  unnatural  vice  stand  as  a 
warning,  in  undergoing  the  punishment  of  eternal  fire. 

In  that  same  way  these  dreamers  defile  the  body,  make 
light  of  authority,  and  deride  majesty.  The  archangel 
Michael  himself,  when  he  had  the  dispute  with  the  devil  about 
Moses’  body,  did  not  venture  to  condemn  him  for  blasphemy; 
he  only  said,  “May  the  Lord  rebuke  you!”  But  these  people 
deride  anything  they  do  not  understand,  and  the  things  they 
know  by  instinct,  like  unreasoning  animals,  they  use  for  their 
own  destruction.  Alas  for  them,  for  they  follow  Cain’s  path, 
they  plunge  into  Balaam’s  error  for  gain,  and  they  perish  in 
rebelliousness  like  Korah’s.  They  are  stains  on  your  religious 
meals,  where  they  carouse  together,  boldly  attending  to  no 
one  but  themselves;  rainless  clouds  driven  before  the  wind; 
leafless  trees  without  fruit,  doubly  dead,  and  uprooted;  wild 

451 


1-13 


452 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


sea  waves  foaming  up  their  own  shame;  wandering  stars 
doomed  forever  to  utter  darkness. 

Of  them  also  Enoch,  in  the  seventh  generation  from  Adam, 
prophesied,  when  he  said,  “See!  The  Lord  comes  with  his 
holy  myriads  to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convict 
all  the  godless  of  all  the  godless  deeds  they  have  done,  and  of 
all  the  harsh  things  that  godless  sinners  have  said  against 
him/’ 

These  men  are  grumblers,  dissatisfied  with  life.  They 
go  where  their  passions  lead,  their  talk  is  arrogant  and  they 
cultivate  people  in  the  hope  of  gain. 

But  you,  dear  friends,  must  remember  what  was  foretold 
by  the  apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  they  said  to  you, 
“In  the  last  times  there  will  be  mockers  who  will  go  where 
their  own  godless  passions  lead.”  These  are  the  men  who 
create  division;  they  are  animal  and  devoid  of  the  Spirit. 
But  you,  dear  friends,  must  build  yourselves  up  on  the 
foundation  of  your  most  holy  faith  and  pray  in  the  holy  Spirit, 
and  keep  in  the  love  of  God,  and  wait  for  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  bring  you  to  eternal  life.  Those  whom 
you  pity  in  their  uncertainty,  save,  snatching  them  out  of  the 
fire,  and  look  on  others  with  pity  mixed  with  fear,  loathing 
even  the  clothes  their  animal  nature  has  stained. 

Now  to  him  who  is  able  to  keep  you  from  stumbling  and 
to  make  you  stand  in  his  presence  irreproachable  and  tri¬ 
umphant — to  the  one  God  our  Savior  be  glory,  majesty, 
power,  and  authority  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  now  and 
forever  and  ever.  Amen. 


14-25 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 

A  revelation  made  by  Jesus  Christ  which  God  gave  him 
to  disclose  to  his  slaves  of  what  must  very  soon  happen. 
He  sent  and  communicated  it  by  his  angel  to  his  slave  John, 
who  testifies  to  what  he  saw — to  the  message  of  God  and 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ.  Blessed  be  the  man  who  reads 
this  prophecy  and  those  who  hear  it  read  and  heed  what  is 
written  in  it,  for  the  time  is  near. 


John  to  the  seven  churches  in  Asia,  blessing  and  peace 
to  you  from  him  who  is  and  was  and  is  coming,  and  from 
the  seven  spirits  before  his  throne,  and  from  Jesus  Christ  the 
trustworthy  witness,  the  firstborn  of  the  dead,  and  the 
sovereign  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  To  him  who  loves  us 
and  has  released  us  from  our  sins  by  his  blood — he  has  made 
us  a  kingdom  of  priests  for  his  God  and  Father — to  him  be 
glory  and  power  forever.  Amen.  See!  He  is  coming  on  the 
clouds,  and  every  eye  will  see  him,  even  the  men  who  pierced 
him,  and  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  will  lament  over  him.  So 
it  is  to  be.  Amen. 

“I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,”  says  the  Lord  God, 
who  is  and  was  and  is  coming,  the  Almighty. 

I,  John,  your  brother  and  companion  in  the  distress,  the 
kingdom,  and  the  endurance  that  Jesus  brings,  found  myself 
on  the  island  called  Patmos,  for  uttering  God’s  message  and 
testifying  to  Jesus.  On  the  Lord’s  day  I  fell  into  a  trance, 
and  I  heard  a  loud  voice  like  a  trumpet  behind  me  say, 

“Write  what  you  see  in  a  roll  and  send  it  to  the  seven 
churches — to  Ephesus,  Smyrna,  Pergamum,  Thyatira,  Sardis, 
Philadelphia,  and  Laodicea.” 

I  turned  to  see  whose  voice  it  was  that  was  speaking 
to  me,  and  when  I  turned  I  saw  seven  gold  lampstands,  and 
among  the  lampstands  a  being  like  a  man,  wearing  a  long  robe, 
with  a  gold  belt  around  his  breast.  His  head  and  hair  were 


453 


1:1—14 


454 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


as  white  as  white  wool,  as  white  as  snow;  his  eyes  blazed 
like  fire;  his  feet  were  like  bronze,  refined  in  a  furnace,  and  his 
voice  was  like  the  noise  of  mighty  waters.  In  his  right  hand 
he  held  seven  stars;  from  his  mouth  came  a  sharp  double- 
edged  sword,  and  his  face  shone  like  the  sun  at  noonday. 
When  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  like  a  dead  man.  But  he 
laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  and  said, 

“Do  not  be  afraid.  I  am  the  first  and  the  last,  the  living 
one.  I  was  dead,  yet  here  I  am  alive  forever  and  ever.  I  hold 
the  keys  of  death  and  the  underworld.  So  write  what  you 
have  seen,  what  is  now  and  what  is  to  happen  hereafter.  The 
secret  meaning  of  the  seven  stars  that  you  saw  in  my  right 
hand,  and  of  the  seven  gold  lampstands  is  this:  The  seven 
stars  are  the  guardian  angels  of  the  seven  churches  and  the 
seven  lampstands  are  the  seven  churches. 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Ephesus  write: 

“  ‘He  who  holds  the  seven  stars  in  his  right  hand  and  goes 
about  among  the  seven  gold  lampstands  speaks  thus:  I  know 
what  you  have  done;  your  hard  work  and  your  endurance. 
I  know  that  you  cannot  tolerate  wicked  men,  and  that  you 
have  tested  those  who  claimed  to  be  apostles  when  they  were 
not,  and  have  found  them  to  be  impostors.  You  show 
endurance;  you  have  undergone  much  for  my  sake,  and  you 
have  not  grown  weary.  But  I  hold  it  against  you  that  you 
do  not  love  as  you  did  at  first.  So  remember  how  far  you 
have  fallen,  and  repent  and  do  as  you  did  at  first,  or  else  I  will 
come  to  you  and  take  your  lampstand  from  its  place,  if  you 
do  not  repent.  But  it  is  in  your  favor  that  you  hate  the 
practices  of  the  Nicolaitans,  as  I  do.  Let  everyone  who  can 
hear  listen  to  what  the  Spirit  says  to  the  churches.  I  will 
permit  him  who  is  victorious  to  eat  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life 
that  stands  in  the  Paradise  of  God.’ 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  write: 

“  ‘The  first  and  the  last,  who  died  and  came  to  life  again, 
speaks  thus:  I  know  of  your  distress  and  poverty — though 
you  are  rich! — I  know  how  you  are  slandered  by  those  who 
claim  to  be  Jews  when  they  are  not  so,  but  only  a  synagogue 
of  Satan!  Do  not  be  afraid  of  what  you  are  going  to  suffer. 
See!  The  devil  is  going  to  put  some  of  you  into  prison  to  be 

1:15-2:10 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


455 


tested  there,  and  for  ten  days  to  endure  persecution.  Prove 
faithful  even  unto  death  and  I  will  give  you  the  crown  of  life. 
Let  everyone  who  can  hear  listen  to  what  the  Spirit  says  to 
the  churches.  He  who  is  victorious  will  not  be  hurt  by  the 
second  death.’ 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Pergamum  write: 

“‘He  who  wields  the  sharp,  double-edged  sword  speaks 
thus:  I  know  where  you  live;  where  Satan  has  his  throne! 
Yet  you  cling  to  my  name  and  did  not  renounce  your  faith 
in  me  even  in  the  days  when  my  faithful  Antipas,  my  witness, 
was  put  to  death  among  you — where  Satan  lives.  Yet  I  hold 
it  somewhat  against  you  that  you  have  among  you  some 
adherents  of  the  teaching  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to 
entrap  the  children  of  Israel  into  eating  meat  that  had  been 
sacrificed  to  idols,  and  into  immoral  practices.  So  you  also 
have  among  you  some  who  hold  the  teaching  of  the 
Nicolaitans.  So  repent,  or  else  I  will  come  to  you  quickly 
and  make  war  upon  them  with  the  sword  that  is  in  my  mouth. 
Let  everyone  who  can  hear  listen  to  what  the  Spirit  says  to 
the  churches.  I  will  give  him  who  is  victorious  some  of  the 
hidden  manna,  and  I  will  give  him  a  white  pebble  with  a  new 
name  written  on  it  which  no  one  knows  except  the  man  who 
receives  it. 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira  write: 

“  ‘The  Son  of  God,  whose  eyes  blaze  like  fire,  and  whose 
feet  are  like  bronze,  speaks  thus:  I  know  the  things  you  do, 
your  love  and  faithfulness  and  helpfulness  and  endurance, 
and  I  know  that  you  are  now  doing  more  than  you  did  at  first. 
But  I  hold  it  against  you  that  you  tolerate  that  Jezebel  of  a 
woman  who  claims  to  be  inspired  and  who  is  misleading  my 
slaves  and  teaching  them  to  practice  immorality  and  to  eat 
meat  that  has  been  sacrificed  to  idols.  I  have  given  her 
time  to  repent,  but  she  refuses  to  repent  of  her  immorality. 
See!  I  am  going  to  lay  her  on  a  sick  bed,  and  to  bring  great 
distress  upon  those  who  share  her  immorality,  unless  they 
repent  of  her  practices,  and  I  will  strike  her  children  dead. 
Then  all  the  churches  will  know  that  I  am  he  who  searches 
men’s  hearts  and  minds,  and  I  will  repay  each  of  you  for  what 
you  have  done.  But  to  the  rest  of  you  at  Thyatira,  who  do 


2 : 1 1-24 


4  56 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


not  hold  this  teaching  and  have  not  learned  the  “deep  things  ” 
of  Satan,  as  they  call  them — to  you  I  say,  I  have  no  fresh 
burden  to  lay  on  you,  but  keep  hold  of  what  you  have,  until 
I  come.  To  him  who  is  victorious  and  continues  to  the  end 
to  do  the  things  that  please  me,  I  will  give  authority  over  the 
heathen — just  such  authority  as  I  received  from  my  Father; 
he  will  shepherd  them  with  an  iron  staff,  and  shatter  them  like 
earthen  jars! — and  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star.  Let 
everyone  who  can  hear  listen  to  what  the  Spirit  says  to  the 
churches.’ 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis  write: 

“‘He  who  holds  the  seven  spirits  of  God  and  the  seven 
stars  speaks  thus:  I  know  what  you  are  doing;  you  are  sup¬ 
posed  to  be  alive,  but  you  are  dead.  Wake  up,  and  strengthen 
what  is  left,  although  it  is  already  on  the  point  of  death,  for 
I  have  found  nothing  you  have  done  complete  in  the  sight  of 
my  God.  So  remember  what  you  received  and  heard,  and 
obey  it,  and  repent.  If  you  do  not  wake  up,  I  will  come 
like  a  thief,  and  you  will  not  know  at  what  hour  I  am  coming 
upon  you.  Yet  you  have  a  few  at  Sardis  who  have  not 
soiled  their  clothes.  They  will  walk  with  me  clad  in  white, 
for  they  deserve  to.  He  who  is  victorious  will  be  clothed  thus, 
in  white  clothing,  and  I  will  not  erase  his  name  from  the  book 
of  life,  but  I  will  acknowledge  him  as  mine  in  the  presence 
of  my  Father  and  his  angels.  Let  everyone  who  can  hear 
listen  to  what  the  Spirit  says  to  the  churches.’ 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia  write: 

“‘He  who  is  holy  and  true,  who  carries  the  key  of 
David,  who  opens  and  no  one  shall  shut,  and  shuts  and  no  one 
shall  open,  speaks  thus:  I  know  what  you  are  doing.  See! 
I  have  put  before  you  an  open  door  that  no  one  can  close.  I 
know  that  you  have  little  strength,  but  you  have  obeyed  my 
message  and  you  have  not  disowned  my  name.  I  will  make 
some  who  belong  to  that  synagogue  of  Satan  and  claim  to  be 
Jews  when  they  are  not  so,  but  are  lying— -I  will  make  them 
come  and  bow  down  at  your  feet,  and  learn  that  I  loved  you. 
Because  you  have  kept  in  mind  the  message  of  what  I  endured, 
I  also  will  keep  you  safe  in  the  time  of  testing  that  is  going  to 
come  upon  the  whole  world,  to  test  the  inhabitants  of  the 

2:25-3:10 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


457 


earth.  I  am  coming  soon.  Keep  hold  of  what  you  have,  so 
that  no  one  may  deprive  you  of  your  crown.  I  will  make  him 
who  is  victorious  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God;  he  shall 
never  go  out  of  it  again.  I  will  write  on  him  the  name  of  my 
God  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God — the  new  Jerusalem, 
which  is  to  come  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God — and  my 
new  name.  Let  everyone  who  can  hear  listen  to  what  the 
Spirit  says  to  the  churches.* 

“To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Laodicea  write: 

‘“The  Amen,  the  true  and  faithful  witness,  the  origin  of 
God’s  creation,  speaks  thus:  I  know  what  you  are  doing, 
and  that  you  are  neither  cold  nor  hot.  I  wish  you  were  either 
cold  or  hot!  As  it  is,  since  you  are  tepid  and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,  I  am  going  to  spit  you  out  of  my  mouth!  Because 
you  say,  “I  am  rich,  I  have  become  wealthy,  I  need  nothing,” 
and  you  do  not  know  that  it  is  you  that  are  wretched,  pitiable, 
poor,  blind,  and  naked,  I  advise  you  to  buy  of  me  gold  that 
has  been  tested  with  fire,  so  that  you  may  be  rich,  and  white 
clothes  to  put  on,  to  keep  your  shameful  nakedness  from  being 
seen,  and  salve  to  put  on  your  eyes,  to  make  you  see.  I 
reprove  and  discipline  all  whom  I  love.  So  be  earnest  and 
repent.  Here  I  stand  knocking  at  the  door.  If  anyone 
listens  to  my  voice  and  opens  the  door,  I  will  be  his  guest  and 
dine  with  him,  and  he  with  me.  I  will  permit  him  who  is 
victorious  to  take  his  seat  beside  me  on  my  throne,  just  as  I 
have  been  victorious  and  taken  my  seat  beside  my  Father 
on  his  throne.  Let  everyone  who  can  hear  listen  to  what 
the  Spirit  says  to  the  churches.  ’  ” 

Afterward  I  had  another  vision:  There  was  a  door 
standing  open  in  the  heavens  and  the  first  voice  like  a  trumpet 
that  I  had  heard  speak  to  me,  said, 

“Come  up  here,  and  I  will  show  you  what  must  take 
place.” 

Immediately  after  this  I  found  myself  in  a  trance,  and 
there  stood  a  throne  in  heaven  with  a  being  seated  on  it.  The 
one  who  was  seated  on  it  looked  like  jasper  and  sardius,  and 
around  the  throne  was  a  halo  of  the  color  of  an  emerald. 
Around  the  throne  were  twenty-four  thrones,  with  twenty-four 

3:11-4:4 


458 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


elders  seated  on  them,  clothed  in  white  and  with  gold  crowns 
on  their  heads.  Out  from  the  throne  came  flashes  of  lightning, 
rumblings,  and  peals  of  thunder.  In  front  of  the  throne  seven 
blazing  lamps  were  burning;  they  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God. 
In  front  of  the  throne  was  what  looked  like  a  sea  of  glass,  like 
crystal.  Around  the  throne,  in  the  middle  of  each  side,  were 
four  animals  covered  with  eyes  in  front  and  behind.  The 
first  animal  was  like  a  lion,  the  second  was  like  an  ox,  the  third 
had  a  face  like  a  man’s,  and  the  fourth  was  like  an  eagle  flying. 
The  four  animals  have  each  of  them  six  wings,  and  they  are 
covered  with  eyes  all  over  and  underneath  their  wings.  And 
day  and  night  they  never  cease  to  say, 

“  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  God,  the  Almighty,  who  was 
and  is  and  is  coming.” 

And  whenever  the  animals  offer  glory,  honor,  and  thanks¬ 
giving  to  him  who  is  seated  on  the  throne,  who  lives  forever 
and  ever,  the  twenty-four  elders  fall  down  before  him  who  is 
seated  on  the  throne,  and  worship  him  who  lives  forever  and 
ever,  and  they  throw  down  their  crowns  before  the  throne, 
and  say, 

“You  are  worthy,  our  Lord  and  God,  to  receive  glory, 
honor,  and  power,  for  you  created  all  things;  by  your  will 
they  existed  and  were  created.” 

Then  I  saw  lying  in  the  right  hand  of  him  who  was  seated 
on  the  throne  a  roll  with  writing  on  both  sides,  sealed  with 
seven  seals.  And  I  saw  a  mighty  angel  announcing  in  a  loud 
voice, 

“Who  is  fit  to  open  the  roll  and  break  its  seals  ?” 

But  no  one  in  heaven  or  on  earth  or  underneath  the  earth 
could  open  the  roll  or  look  into  it.  Then  I  cried  bitterly 
because  no  one  could  be  found  fit  to  open  the  roll  or  look  into 
it.  But  one  of  the  elders  said  to  me, 

“Do  not  cry!  See!  The  lion  who  is  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
of  the  line  of  David,  has  been  victorious  so  that  he  can  open 
the  roll  and  break  its  seals.” 

Then  I  saw  standing  in  the  center  of  the  throne  and  of  the 
four  animals  and  of  the  elders  a  Lamb  which  seemed  to  have 
been  slaughtered.  He  had  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes;  these 
are  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  which  are  sent  on  errands  to  all 

4H-5:6 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


459 


parts  of  the  earth.  He  came  and  took  the  roll  from  the  right 
hand  of  him  who  was  seated  on  the  throne.  When  he  took  the 
roll,  the  four  animals  and  the  twenty-four  elders  fell  down 
before  the  Lamb,  each  with  a  harp  and  gold  bowls  full  of 
incense,  that  is,  of  the  prayers  of  God’s  people.  Then  they 
sang  a  new  song: 

“You  deserve  to  take  the  roll  and  open  its  seals,  for  you 
have  been  slaughtered,  and  with  your  blood  have  bought  for 
God  men  from  every  tribe,  tongue,  people,  and  nation,  and 
have  made  them  a  kingdom  of  priests  for  our  God,  and  they 
are  to  reign  over  the  earth.” 

Then  in  my  vision  I  heard  the  voices  of  many  angels 
surrounding  the  throne,  the  animals,  and  the  elders,  number¬ 
ing  myriads  of  myriads  and  thousands  of  thousands,  saying 
in  a  loud  voice, 

“The  Lamb  that  was  slaughtered  deserves  to  receive 
power,  wealth,  wisdom,  might,  honor,  glory,  and  blessing.” 

Then  I  heard  every  creature  in  heaven,  on  earth,  under¬ 
neath  the  earth,  and  on  the  sea,  and  all  that  they  contain,  say, 

“Blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power  to  him  who  is  seated 
on  the  throne  and  to  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever!” 

The  four  animals  said, 

“Amen !” 

And  the  elders  fell  down  and  worshiped. 

In  my  vision,  when  the  Lamb  broke  the  first  of  the  seven 
seals,  I  heard  the  first  of  the  four  animals  say  with  a  voice 
like  thunder, 

“Come!” 

Then  I  saw  a  white  horse,  and  its  rider  carried  a  bow. 
He  was  given  a  crown,  and  he  rode  forth  as  a  victor  to  conquer. 
When  he  broke  the  second  seal,  I  heard  the  second  animal 
say, 

“Come!” 

And  another  horse  came  forth,  bright  red,  and  its  rider 
was  given  power  to  take  peace  away  from  the  earth,  and  make 
men  slaughter  one  another;  he  was  given  a  great  sword. 

When  he  broke  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the  third  animal 

say, 

“Come!” 


517-6:5 


460 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


And  there  I  saw  a  black  horse,  and  its  rider  had  a  pair 
of  scales  in  his  hand,  and  I  heard  a  voice  which  seemed  to  come 
from  the  midst  of  the  four  animals  say, 

“Wheat  at  a  dollar  a  quart,  and  barley  three  quarts  for  a 
dollar,  but  you  must  not  injure  the  oil  and  wine!” 

When  he  broke  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the 
fourth  animal  say, 

“Comer 

And  there  I  saw  a  horse  the  color  of  ashes,  and  its  rider’s 
name  was  Death,  and  Hades  followed  him.  They  were  given 
power  over  one  quarter  of  the  earth,  to  kill  the  people  with 
sword,  famine,  death,  and  the  wild  animals  of  the  earth. 

When  he  broke  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  underneath  the  altar 
the  souls  of  those  who  have  been  slaughtered  on  account  of 
God’s  message  and  for  adhering  to  the  testimony.  They 
cried  out  in  a  loud  voice, 

“Holy  and  true  Master,  how  long  is  it  to  be  before  you 
judge  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  and  avenge  our  blood  ?” 

Then  each  of  them  was  given  a  white  robe  and  they  were 
told  to  be  quiet  a  little  while  longer,  until  the  number  of  their 
fellow-slaves  and  their  brothers,  who  were  to  be  killed  as  they 
had  been,  should  be  complete. 

When  he  broke  the  sixth  seal  I  saw  that  there  was  a  great 
earthquake.  The  sun  turned  black  as  sackcloth;  the  full 
moon  became  like  blood;  the  stars  of  the  sky  fell  upon  the 
earth  just  as  a  fig  tree  drops  its  unripe  figs  when  it  is  shaken 
by  a  strong  wind;  the  sky  was  torn  apart  and  rolled  up  like  a 
roll;  and  every  mountain  and  island  was  dislodged  from  its 
place.  The  kings  of  the  earth,  the  nobles,  the  officers,  the 
rich,  the  strong — everybody,  slave  and  free — hid  themselves 
in  the  caves  and  among  the  rocks  of  the  mountains.  And  they 
said  to  the  mountains  and  the  rocks, 

“Fall  on  us,  and  conceal  us  from  the  sight  of  him  who  is 
seated  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  anger  of  the  Lamb,  for  the 
great  day  of  their  anger  has  come,  and  who  can  escape  ?” 

After  that  I  saw  four  angels  standing  at  the  four  corners 
of  the  earth  holding  back  the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  so  that 
no  wind  should  blow  on  the  earth  or  on  the  sea  or  on  any 
tree.  Then  I  saw  another  angel  ascend  from  the  east  with 

616-7:2 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


461 


the  seal  of  the  living  God,  and  he  cried  out  in  a  loud  voice  to 
the  four  angels  who  had  it  in  their  power  to  harm  the  earth 
and  the  sea, 

“  Do  not  harm  the  earth  or  the  sea  or  the  trees  until  we 
mark  the  slaves  of  our  God  on  their  foreheads.” 

I  heard  that  the  number  of  those  that  were  marked  with 
the  seal  was  144,000.  They  were  from  every  tribe  of  the 
children  of  Israel:  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Judah  that  were 
marked;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Reuben;  12,000  from  the 
tribe  of  Gad;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Asher;  1 2,000  from  the 
tribe  of  Naphtali;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Manasseh;  12,000 
from  the  tribe  of  Symeon;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Levi; 
12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Issachar;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of 
Zebulon;  12,000  from  the  tribe  of  Joseph;  12,000  from  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin. 

After  that  I  saw  a  great  crowd  which  no  one  could  count 
from  every  nation,  tribe,  people,  and  language,  standing 
before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb,  wearing  white  robes, 
with  palm  branches  in  their  hands,  and  they  cried  in  a  loud 
voice, 

“Our  deliverance  is  the  work  of  our  God  who  is  seated 
on  the  throne,  and  of  the  Lamb!” 

Then  all  the  angels  stood  around  the  throne  and  the  elders 
and  the  four  animals,  and  fell  on  their  faces  before  the  throne 
and  worshiped  God,  saying, 

“Amen!  Blessing,  glory,  wisdom,  thanksgiving,  honor, 
power,  and  strength  be  to  our  God  forever  and  ever.  Amen !” 

Then  one  of  the  elders  addressed  me  and  said, 

“Who  are  these  people  dressed  in  white  robes,  and  where 
do  they  come  from  ?” 

I  said  to  him, 

“You  know,  my  lord.” 

He  said  to  me, 

“They  are  the  people  who  come  through  the  great  persecu¬ 
tion,  who  have  washed  their  robes  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  That  is  why  they  are  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple,  and  he  who  is  seated  on 
the  throne  will  shelter  them.  They  will  never  be  hungry  or 
thirsty  again,  and  never  again  will  the  sun  or  any  burning 

7:3-16 


462 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


heat  distress  them,  for  the  Lamb  who  is  in  the  center  of  the 
throne  will  be  their  shepherd,  and  will  guide  them  to  springs 
of  living  water,  and  God  will  wipe  every  tear  from  their  eyes.” 

When  he  broke  the  seventh  seal,  there  was  silence  in 
heaven  for  about  half  an  hour.  Then  I  saw  the  seven  angels 
who  stood  before  God,  and  seven  trumpets  were  given  to 
them. 

Then  another  angel  with  a  gold  censer  came  and  stood  at 
the  altar,  and  he  was  given  a  great  quantity  of  incense  so  that 
he  might  mingle  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  on  the  altar 
of  gold  that  stood  before  the  throne.  So  the  smoke  of  the 
incense  went  up  before  God  from  the  angel’s  hand  for  the 
prayers  of  the  saints.  Then  the  angel  took  the  censer  and 
filled  it  with  fire  from  the  altar,  and  emptied  it  upon  the 
earth,  and  there  followed  peals  of  thunder,  rumblings,  flashes 
of  lightning,  and  an  earthquake. 

Then  the  seven  angels  with  the  seven  trumpets  prepared 
to  blow  them. 

The  first  blew  his  trumpet,  and  there  was  a  storm  of  hail 
and  fire  mixed  with  blood,  and  it  fell  upon  the  earth,  and 
one  third  of  the  earth  was  burned  up,  and  one  third  of  the  trees 
were  burned  up,  and  all  the  green  grass  was  burned  up. 

Then  the  second  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  what  looked 
like  a  great  mountain  ablaze  with  fire  was  thrown  into  the  sea, 
and  one  third  of  the  sea  turned  into  blood,  and  one  third  of 
all  the  live  creatures  in  the  sea  perished,  and  one  third  of  the 
ships  were  destroyed. 

Then  the  third  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  there  fell 
from  the  sky  a  great  star  blazing  like  a  torch,  and  it  fell  upon 
one  third  of  the  streams  and  the  springs  of  water.  The  star 
is  called  Apsinthus,  that  is,  Wormwood.  Then  one  third  of 
the  waters  turned  to  wormwood,  and  numbers  of  people  died 
of  the  waters,  for  they  had  turned  bitter. 

Then  the  fourth  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  one  third  of 
the  sun  was  blasted,  and  one  third  of  the  moon  and  one  third 
of  the  stars,  so  that  one  third  of  them  were  darkened,  and 
there  was  no  light  for  one  third  of  the  day  and  of  the  night. 

Then  in  my  vision  I  heard  an  eagle  flying  in  midair  say 
in  a  loud  voice, 

7:17-8:13 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


4  63 


“Alas!  Alas!  Alas  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth, 
because  of  the  other  blasts  of  the  three  angels  who  are  going 
to  blow  their  trumpets!” 

Then  the  fifth  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  I  saw  a  star 
that  had  fallen  on  the  earth  from  the  sky.  He  was  given  the 
key  to  the  pit  of  the  abyss,  and  he  opened  the  pit  of  the  abyss, 
and  smoke  like  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace  poured  up  out  of 
the  pit,  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by  the  smoke 
from  the  pit.  Out  of  the  smoke  locusts  descended  upon  the 
earth,  but  with  powers  like  those  of  earthly  scorpions.  They 
were  told  not  to  harm  the  grass  of  the  earth  or  any  plant  or 
tree,  but  only  the  men  who  did  not  have  the  mark  of  God’s 
seal  upon  their  foreheads.  They  were  not  allowed  to  kill 
anyone,  but  only  to  torture  them  for  five  months,  and  the 
torture  they  inflicted  was  like  that  caused  by  a  scorpion  when 
it  stings  a  man.  In  those  days  men  will  seek  death  and  never 
find  it.  They  will  want  to  die,  but  death  will  fly  from  them. 
In  appearance  the  locusts  were  like  war-horses  armed  for 
battle;  on  their  heads  were  what  appeared  to  be  crowns  like 
gold;  their  faces  were  like  human  faces;  they  had  hair  like 
a  woman’s;  their  teeth  were  like  those  of  lions;  their  breasts 
were  like  iron  breastplates,  and  the  noise  of  their  wings  was 
like  the  noise  of  a  great  number  of  chariots  and  horses  rushing 
into  battle.  They  had  tails  and  stings  like  scorpions;  it  was 
in  their  tails  that  their  power  lay  to  harm  men  for  five  months. 
They  had  over  them  as  king  the  angel  of  the  abyss,  whose  name 
in  Hebrew  is  Abaddon,  but  in  Greek  he  is  called  Apollyon. 

The  first  woe  is  past.  See!  Two  woes  are  yet  to  come. 

Then  the  sixth  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  I  heard  a 
voice  from  the  corners  of  the  altar  of  gold  that  was  before 
God  say  to  the  sixth  angel  who  had  the  trumpet, 

“Release  the  four  angels  that  are  bound  at  the  great 
river  Euphrates.” 

Then  the  four  angels  who  were  held  in  readiness  for  that 
hour  and  day  and  month  and  year  were  let  loose  to  kill  one 
third  of  mankind.  The  number  of  the  hosts  of  horsemen  was 
twice  10,000  times  10,000;  I  heard  their  number.  And  this 
was  how  the  horses  and  their  riders  looked  in  my  vision:  Their 
breast-plates  were  fire  red,  dark  blue,  and  yellow.  The  horses’ 

9:1-17 


464 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


heads  were  like  lions’  heads,  and  fire,  smoke,  and  sulphur 
poured  from  their  mouths.  One  third  of  mankind  were 
killed  by  these  three  plagues — the  fire,  smoke,  and  sulphur 
that  poured  from  their  mouths.  For  the  power  of  the  horses 
lay  in  their  mouths  and  their  tails;  their  tails  were  like  snakes, 
and  they  had  heads  with  which  they  hurt  people.  Yet  what 
was  left  of  mankind,  those  who  escaped  being  killed  by  these 
plagues,  did  not  repent  of  the  works  of  their  hands  and  give 
up  worshiping  demons  and  gold,  silver,  bronze,  stone,  and 
wooden  idols,  which  cannot  either  see  or  hear  or  move,  and 
they  did  not  repent  of  their  murders,  or  their  magic  arts,  or 
their  immorality,  or  their  thefts. 

Then  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  descend  from  heaven. 
He  was  clothed  in  a  cloud,  and  a  rainbow  encircled  his  head. 
His  face  was  like  the  sun,  his  legs  were  like  pillars  of  fire,  and 
he  had  a  little  scroll  open  in  his  hand.  He  set  his  right  foot 
on  the  sea  and  his  left  foot  on  the  land,  and  he  uttered  a  great 
shout  like  the  roar  of  a  lion;  and  when  he  shouted,  the  seven 
thunders  raised  their  voices.  When  the  seven  thunders  had 
spoken,  I  was  going  to  write  it  down,  but  I  heard  a  voice  from 
heaven  say, 

“Seal  up  what  the  seven  thunders  have  said!  Do  not 
write  it  down!” 

Then  the  angel,  whom  I  had  seen  standing  on  the  sea  and 
on  the  land,  raised  his  right  hand  to  heaven,  and  swore  by 
him  who  lives  forever  and  ever,  who  created  the  heavens  and 
all  that  is  in  them,  the  earth  and  all  that  is  in  it,  and  the  sea 
and  all  that  is  in  it,  that  there  should  be  no  more  delay,  but 
at  the  time  when  the  seventh  angel  spoke,  when  he  should 
blow  his  trumpet,  then  God’s  mysterious  purpose,  the  good 
news  of  which  he  gave  to  his  slaves  the  prophets,  would  be 
accomplished.  Then  the  voice  that  I  had  heard  from 
heaven  spoke  to  me  again,  and  said, 

“  Go  and  take  the  little  scroll  that  lies  open  in  the  hand 
of  the  angel  who  is  standing  on  the  sea  and  on  the  land.” 

So  I  went  up  to  the  angel  and  told  him  to  give  me  the 
little  scroll.  And  he  said  to  me, 

“Take  it  and  eat  it;  it  will  be  bitter  in  your  stomach, 
but  in  your  mouth  it  will  taste  as  sweet  as  honey.” 

9:18-10:9 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


465 


So  I  took  the  little  scroll  from  the  angel’s  hand  and  ate 
it,  and  it  did  taste  as  sweet  as  honey,  but  when  I  had  eaten  it, 
it  made  my  stomach  bitter.  Then  they  said  to  me, 

“You  must  prophesy  again  about  many  peoples,  nations, 
languages,  and  kings!” 

Then  I  was  given  a  measuring  rod  like  a  staff,  and  I  was 
told, 

“Rise  and  measure  the  temple  of  God  and  the  altar, 
and  count  those  who  worship  there,  but  leave  out  the  court 
outside  the  temple;  do  not  measure  that,  for  it  has  been  given 
up  to  the  heathen,  and  for  forty-two  months  they  will  trample 
on  it.  And  I  will  permit  my  two  witnesses,  clothed  in  sack¬ 
cloth,  to  prophesy  for  1,260  days.” 

They  are  the  two  olive  trees  and  the  two  lampstands 
that  stand  before  the  Lord  of  the  earth.  If  anyone  tries  to 
hurt  them  fire  comes  out  of  their  mouths  and  consumes  their 
enemies;  if  anyone  tries  to  hurt  them,  he  will  certainly  be 
killed  in  that  way.  They  have  the  power  to  shut  up  the  sky, 
so  that  no  rain  will  fall  during  the  days  when  they  are  proph¬ 
esying,  and  they  have  power  to  turn  the  waters  into  blood  and 
to  smite  the  earth  with  any  plague  whenever  they  please. 
When  they  finish  their  testimony,  the  animal  that  comes  up 
out  of  the  abyss  will  make  war  on  them  and  conquer  them  and 
kill  them,  and  their  bodies  will  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great 
city  that  is  figuratively  called  Sodom  and  Egypt — where 
their  Lord  also  was  crucified.  For  three  days  and  a  half, 
men  of  all  peoples,  tribes,  languages,  and  nations  will  look  at 
<  their  bodies,  and  will  not  let  them  be  buried.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  will  gloat  over  them  and  celebrate  by  sending 
presents  to  one  another,  for  these  two  prophets  were  a  torment 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  After  three  days  and  a  half, 
the  breath  of  life  from  God  entered  them,  and  they  stood  on 
their  feet,  and  terror  seized  those  who  saw  them.  And  they 
heard  a  loud  voice  from  heaven  say  to  them, 

“Come  up  here.” 

And  they  went  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud,  before  the  eyes  of 
their  enemies.  At  that  moment  there  was  a  great  earthquake, 
and  one  tenth  of  the  city  was  destroyed.  Seven  thousand 
people  were  killed  in  the  earthquake,  and  the  rest  were 

10:10-11:13 


466 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


filled  with  awe,  and  acknowledged  the  glory  of  the  God  of 
heaven. 

The  second  woe  is  past.  See!  The  third  woe  is  soon 
to  come. 

Then  the  seventh  angel  blew  his  trumpet,  and  loud  voices 
were  heard  in  heaven,  saying, 

“The  sovereignty  of  the  world  has  passed  into  the 
possession  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ,  and  he  will  reign  forever 
and  ever.” 

Then  the  twenty-four  elders  who  were  seated  on  their 
thrones  before  God  fell  on  their  faces  and  worshiped  God, 
saying, 

“We  give  you  thanks,  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  are  and 
were,  because  you  have  assumed  your  great  power  and  begun 
to  reign.  The  heathen  were  enraged,  but  now  your  anger 
has  come,  and  the  time  for  the  dead  to  be  judged,  and  for 
rewarding  your  slaves  the  prophets  and  your  people  high  and 
low  who  revere  your  name,  and  for  destroying  the  destroyers 
of  the  earth!” 

Then  the  temple  of  God  in  heaven  was  thrown  open,  and 
the  chest  containing  his  agreement  was  seen  inside  the  temple, 
and  there  were  flashes  of  lightning,  rumblings,  peals  of 
thunder,  an  earthquake,  and  a  great  storm  of  hail. 

Then  a  great  portent  appeared  in  the  sky — a  woman 
clothed  in  the  sun,  with  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  on  her 
head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars.  She  was  soon  to  have  a  child, 
and  she  cried  out  with  pain  and  agony  in  giving  birth  to  it. 
Another  portent  appeared  in  the  sky — there  was  a  great  fire- 
red  dragon  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  with  seven 
diadems  on  his  heads.  His  tail  swept  away  one  third  of  the 
stars  of  heaven  and  flung  them  down  upon  the  earth.  The 
dragon  stood  in  front  of  the  woman  who  was  about  to  give 
birth  to  a  child  in  order  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it  was 
born.  She  gave  birth  to  a  son,  a  male  child,  who  is  to 
shepherd  all  the  heathen  with  a  staff  of  iron;  and  her  child 
was  caught  up  to  God,  to  his  throne.  Then  the  woman  fled 
into  the  desert,  where  there  was  a  place  prepared  by  God 
for  her,  where  she  was  to  be  taken  care  of  for  1,260  days. 

11 : 14-12:6 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


467 


Then  war  broke  out  in  heaven,  Michael  and  his  angels 
fighting  with  the  dragon.  The  dragon  and  his  angels  fought 
but  they  were  defeated,  and  there  was  no  place  for  them  any 
/onger  in  heaven.  So  the  great  dragon,  the  ancient  serpent 
who  is  called  the  devil  and  Satan,  who  deceives  the  whole 
world,  was  hurled  down  to  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were 
hurled  down  with  him.  Then  I  heard  a  loud  voice  in  heaven 
say, 

“The  deliverance  and  power  and  reign  of  our  God,  and  the 
authority  of  his  Christ  have  now  come,  for  the  accuser  of  our 
brothers,  who  kept  bringing  charges  against  them  day  and 
night  before  our  God,  has  been  hurled  down.  They  have 
conquered  him  because  of  the  Lamb’s  blood,  and  the  message 
to  which  they  bore  testimony,  for  they  did  not  cling  to  life 
even  in  the  face  of  death.  Therefore,  rejoice,  you  heavens 
and  you  who  live  in  them !  But  alas  for  the  earth  and  the  sea, 
for  the  devil  has  descended  upon  you  in  a  great  rage,  for  he 
knows  that  he  has  only  a  short  time  left.” 

When  the  dragon  saw  that  he  had  been  hurled  down  to 
the  earth,  he  went  in  pursuit  of  the  woman  who  had  given 
birth  to  the  male  child.  But  the  woman  was  given  the  two 
wings  of  a  great  eagle,  so  that  she  might  fly  to  her  place  in  the 
desert,  where  she  is  to  be  taken  care  of  for  a  time,  times  and  a 
half-time,  on  account  of  the  serpent.  Then  the  serpent 
poured  water  from  his  mouth  after  the  woman  like  a  river,  to 
sweep  her  away.  But  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  for  the 
earth  opened  its  mouth  and  swallowed  the  river  which  the 
dragon  had  poured  out  of  his  mouth.  So  the  dragon  was 
enraged  at  the  woman,  and  he  went  off  to  make  war  on  the  rest 
of  her  children — those  who  obey  God’s  commands  and  adhere 
to  the  testimony  of  Jesus. 

Then  I  stood  on  the  sand  of  the  seashore,  and  I  saw  an 
animal  come  up  out  of  the  sea  with  ten  horns  and  seven  heads, 
and  with  ten  diadems  on  its  horns,  and  blasphemous  titles  on 
its  heads.  The  animal  I  saw  was  like  a  leopard,  its  feet  were 
like  a  bear’s,  and  its  mouth  was  like  a  lion’s  mouth.  The  dra¬ 
gon  gave  it  his  own  power  and  his  throne  and  great  authority. 
One  of  its  heads  seemed  to  have  received  a  mortal  wound, 
but  its  mortal  wound  had  been  healed.  And  the  whole  earth 


12:7-13:3 


468 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


followed  the  animal  in  wonder,  and  worshiped  the  dragon 
for  having  given  the  animal  his  authority,  and  they  worshiped 
the  animal,  and  said, 

“Who  is  there  like  the  animal  ?  Who  can  fight  with  it  ?” 

It  was  allowed  to  utter  great  boasts  and  blasphemies, 
and  to  exert  authority  for  forty-two  months.  It  opened  its 
mouth  in  blasphemies  against  God,  blaspheming  his  name 
and  his  dwelling-place,  that  is,  those  who  live  in  heaven. 
It  was  allowed  to  make  war  on  God’s  people  and  to  conquer 
them,  and  it  was  given  authority  over  every  tribe,  people, 
language,  and  nation.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  whose 
names  have  not  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  been 
written  in  the  slain  Lamb’s  book  of  life,  will  worship  it.  Let 
everyone  who  can  hear  listen.  Whoever  is  destined  for 
captivity  will  go  into  captivity;  whoever  kills  with  the  sword 
must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  On  this  fact  rests  the  endur¬ 
ance  and  fidelity  of  God’s  people. 

Then  I  saw  another  animal  come  up  out  of  the  land. 
It  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  but  it  spoke  like  a  dragon. 
It  exercises  the  full  authority  of  the  first  animal  on  its  behalf. 
It  makes  the  earth  and  its  inhabitants  worship  the  first  animal, 
whose  mortal  wound  had  been  healed.  It  performs  great 
wonders,  even  making  fire  come  down  from  heaven  to  earth 
before  men’s  eyes.  It  leads  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
astray  by  the  wonders  it  is  allowed  to  do  on  behalf  of  the 
animal,  telling  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  to  erect  a  statue 
to  the  animal  that  bears  the  mark  of  the  sword-thrust  and 
yet  lives.  It  is  also  allowed  to  impart  life  to  the  animal’s 
statue  so  that  the  animal’s  statue  can  speak,  and  to  have  all 
who  do  not  worship  the  animal’s  statue  killed.  And  it  makes 
everyone,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  freemen  and  slaves, 
have  a  mark  stamped  on  their  right  hands  or  on  their  fore¬ 
heads,  and  permits  no  one  to  buy  or  sell  anything  unless  he 
bears  the  mark,  that  is,  the  animal’s  name  or  the  number 
corresponding  to  its  name.  There  is  wisdom  hidden  here! 
Let  everyone  of  intelligence  calculate  the  animal’s  number, 
for  it  indicates  a  certain  man;  its  number  is  666. 

Then  in  my  vision  I  saw  the  Lamb  standing  on  Mount 
Zion,  and  with  him  144,000  people  who  had  his  name  and  his 

13:4-14:1 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


469 


Father’s  name  written  on  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard 
a  sound  from  heaven,  like  the  sound  of  great  waters,  and  loud 
peals  of  thunder.  The  sound  I  heard  was  like  that  of  harpists 
playing  on  their  harps.  They  were  singing  a  new  song  before 
the  throne  and  the  four  animals  and  the  elders,  and  no  one 
could  learn  the  song  except  the  144,000  who  had  been  ran¬ 
somed  from  the  earth.  They  are  the  men  who  have  not  been 
defiled  by  relations  with  women;  they  are  celibates.  It  is 
they  who  follow  the  Lamb  wherever  he  goes.  They  have 
been  ransomed  from  among  men  as  the  first-fruits  for  God 
and  the  Lamb,  and  they  have  never  been  known  to  utter  a  lie; 
they  are  irreproachable. 

Then  I  saw  another  angel  flying  in  midair,  with  eternal 
good  news  to  announce  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  to 
every  nation,  tribe,  language,  and  people.  He  cried  in  a 
loud  voice, 

“Fear  God  and  give  him  glory,  for  the  hour  for  his 
judgment  has  come.  Worship  him  who  made  heaven  and 
earth  and  sea  and  the  springs  of  water.” 

A  second  angel  followed,  saying, 

“She  is  fallen!  Mighty  Babylon  is  fallen,  who  made  all 
the  heathen  drink  the  wine  of  the  passion  of  her  immoral¬ 
ity!” 

A  third  angel  followed  them,  saying  in  a  loud  voice, 

“Whoever  worships  the  animal  and  its  statue  and  lets  its 
mark  be  put  on  his  forehead  or  on  his  hand  shall  drink  the  wine 
of  God’s  wrath,  poured  unmixed  into  the  cup  of  his  anger,  and 
be  tortured  with  fire  and  brimstone  before  the  eyes  of  the  holy 
angels  and  the  Lamb.  The  smoke  of  their  torture  will  go  up 
forever  and  ever,  and  they  will  have  no  rest  night  or  day — 
these  worshipers  of  the  animal  and  its  statue,  and  any  who 
bear  the  mark  of  its  name.”  On  this  fact  rests  the  endurance 
of  God’s  people,  who  obey  God’s  commands  and  cling  to  their 
faith  in  Jesus. 

Then  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  say, 

“Write:  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  from  this  time  forth 
die  as  Christians!” 

“Yes!”  answers  the  Spirit,  “Let  them  rest  from  their 
toil,  for  what  they  have  done  will  go  with  them!” 


14:1-13 


470 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


Then  I  saw  a  white  cloud,  and  seated  on  it  a  being  like 
a  man,  with  a  gold  crown  on  his  head  and  a  sharp  sickle  in  his 
hand. 

And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  and  cried  in  a 
loud  voice  to  him  who  was  seated  on  the  cloud, 

“Use  your  sickle  and  reap.  The  time  has  come  to  reap, 
for  the  earth’s  harvest  is  ripe.” 

So  he  who  was  seated  on  the  cloud  swung  his  sickle  over 
the  earth,  and  the  earth  was  reaped. 

Another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  in  heaven,  and  he 
too  had  a  sharp  sickle.  And  another  angel  came  forth  from 
the  altar,  who  presided  over  the  fire,  and  he  called  in  a  loud 
voice  to  the  one  who  had  the  sharp  sickle, 

“Use  your  sharp  sickle  and  gather  the  bunches  of  grapes 
from  the  earth’s  vine,  for  the  grapes  on  it  are  ripe.” 

So  the  angel  swung  his  sickle  on  the  earth  and  gathered 
the  fruit  of  the  earth’s  vine,  and  flung  them  into  the  great 
winepress  of  God’s  wrath.  The  grapes  were  trodden  in  the 
winepress  outside  the  city,  and  blood  poured  out  of  the 
winepress  in  a  stream  so  deep  that  for  200  miles  it  came  up  to 
the  horses’  bridles. 

Then  I  saw  another  great,  marvelous  portent  in  heaven.! 
There  were  seven  angels  with  seven  plagues  which  are  to  be 
the  last,  for  they  complete  the  expression  of  God’s  wrath. 

And  I  saw  what  looked  like  a  sea  of  glass  mixed  with 
fire,  and  standing  upon  the  sea  of  glass  those  who  had  come 
off  victorious  from  the  animal  and  its  statue  and  the  number 
corresponding  to  its  name.  They  had  harps  that  God  had 
given  them,  and  they  were  singing  the  song  of  Moses,  the 
slave  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb: 

“Great  and  marvelous  are  your  doings,  Lord  God 
Almighty!  Upright  and  true  are  your  ways,  King  of  the 
Ages !  Who  will  not  fear  and  give  glory  to  your  name,  Lord  ? 
For  you  alone  are  holy.  All  the  heathen  will  come  and 
worship  before  you,  for  the  justice  of  your  sentences  has  now 
been  shown.” 

Afterward  I  saw  the  temple,  that  is,  the  tent  of  the 
testimony,  thrown  open  in  heaven,  and  the  seven  angels  with 
the  seven  plagues  came  out  of  the  temple.  They  were  clothed 

14:14-15:6 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


47i 


in  clean,  glistening  linen  and  had  gold  belts  around  their 
breasts.  Then  one  of  the  four  animals  gave  the  seven  angels 
seven  gold  bowls  full  of  the  wrath  of  God  who  lives  forever 
and  ever,  and  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke  from  the  glory 
and  power  of  God,  and  no  one  could  go  into  the  temple  until 
the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  over.  Then  I 
heard  a  loud  voice  from  the  temple  say  to  the  seven  angels, 

“Go  and  empty  the  seven  bowls  of  God’s  wrath  upon  the 
earth !” 

So  the  first  angel  went  and  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the 
earth,  and  loathsome,  painful  sores  attacked  the  men  who  bore 
the  mark  of  the  animal  and  worshiped  its  statue. 

The  second  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  sea,  and  it  turned 
into  blood  like  a  dead  man’s,  and  every  live  thing  in  the  sea 
died. 

The  third  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  rivers  and  the 
springs  of  water,  and  they  turned  into  blood.  Then  I  heard 
the  angel  of  the  waters  say, 

“You  are  just  in  pronouncing  this  sentence,  you  who  are 
and  were  the  Holy  One;  for  they  shed  the  blood  of  your  people 
and  prophets,  and  you  have  given  them  blood  to  drink,  as  they 
deserve.” 

And  I  heard  the  altar  answer, 

“Yes,  Lord  God  Almighty!  Your  sentences  are  true  and 
just.” 

The  fourth  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  sun,  and  it  was 
allowed  to  scorch  mankind  with  its  heat,  and  they  were 
dreadfully  scorched,  but  they  reviled  the  name  of  God  who 
had  control  of  these  plagues,  and  would  not  repent  and  give 
him  glory. 

The  fifth  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  animal’s  throne, 
and  its  kingdom  was  plunged  in  darkness,  and  men  gnawed 
their  tongues  in  anguish  and  reviled  the  God  of  heaven  for 
their  sufferings  and  sores,  but  they  would  not  repent  of  what 
they  had  done. 

The  sixth  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  great  river 
Euphrates,  and  its  waters  dried  up  to  make  the  way  ready  for 
the  kings  from  the  east.  Then  I  saw  three  foul  spirits  like 
frogs  emerge  from  the  mouth  of  the  dragon  and  from  the 

15:7-16:13 


472 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


mouth  of  the  animal  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet. 
They  are  demon  spirits  that  perform  wonders,  and  they  go 
out  to  the  kings  all  over  the  world  to  muster  them  for  battle 
on  the  great  Day  of  God  Almighty.  (See,  I  am  coming  like 
a  thief!  Blessed  is  he  who  keeps  awake,  and  keeps  hold  of 
his  clothes,  so  that  he  will  not  have  to  go  naked  and  be  put 
to  shame!)  So  they  mustered  the  kings  at  the  place  called 
in  Hebrew  Armageddon. 

The  seventh  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the  air,  and  a  loud 
voice  came  out  of  the  temple  from  the  throne,  saying, 

“It  is  all  over!” 

Then  there  were  flashes  of  lightning,  rumblings  and  peals 
of  thunder,  and  there  was  a  great  earthquake;  there  has 
never  been  such  an  earthquake  since  man  first  existed  upon 
the  earth,  it  was  so  great.  The  great  city  broke  into  three 
pieces,  the  cities  of  the  heathen  fell,  and  God  remembered  to 
give  mighty  Babylon  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  his  fierce  anger. 
Every  island  vanished,  the  mountains  disappeared,  huge 
hailstones  of  immense  weight  fell  on  mankind  from  heaven, 
and  men  reviled  God  because  of  the  plague  of  hail,  the  plague 
of  it  was  so  terrible. 

Then  one  of  the  seven  angels  with  the  seven  bowls  came 
and  spoke  to  me. 

“Come,”  he  said,  “I  will  show  you  the  doom  of  the  great 
idolatress  who  is  seated  on  many  waters,  in  whose  idolatry 
the  kings  of  the  earth  have  joined,  and  with  the  wine  of  whose 
idolatry  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been  intoxicated.” 

So  he  carried  me  away  in  a  trance  to  a  desert,  and  I  saw 
a  woman  seated  on  a  scarlet  animal  all  covered  with  blasphem¬ 
ous  titles;  it  had  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  The  woman 
was  dressed  in  purple  and  scarlet,  and  glittered  with  gold, 
precious  stones,  and  pearls.  She  had  in  her  hand  a  gold  cup 
full  of  accursed  things,  and  the  impurities  of  her  immorality. 
On  her  forehead  there  was  written  a  name  that  was  symbolic: 
“Mighty  Babylon,  mother  of  idolatresses  and  of  earth’s 
abominations.”  I  saw  that  the  woman  was  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  God’s  people,  and  the  blood  of  the  witnesses  of  Jesus. 
When  I  saw  her  I  was  perfectly  amazed,  but  the  angel  said 
to  me, 

16:14-17:7 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


473 


“Why  are  you  amazed  ?  I  will  explain  to  you  what  the 
woman  and  the  animal  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  that 
carries  her  symbolize.  The  animal  that  you  saw  was,  and  is 
no  more;  it  is  going  to  come  up  out  of  the  abyss,  but  it  is  to 
go  to  destruction.  The  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  whose  names 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  have  not  been  written  in  the 
book  of  life,  will  be  amazed  when  they  see  that  the  animal 
was,  and  is  no  more,  and  yet  is  to  come.  Here  is  a  problem 
for  a  profound  mind!  The  seven  heads  are  seven  hills,  on 
which  the  woman  is  seated.  They  are  also  seven  kings;  five 
have  fallen,  one  is  reigning,  the  other  has  not  yet  come,  and 
when  he  does  his  stay  must  be  brief.  So  must  it  be  with  the 
animal  that  was,  and  is  no  more.  It  is  also  an  eighth  king, 
although  it  is  one  of  the  seven,  and  it  is  to  go  to  destruction. 
The  ten  horns  that  you  saw  are  also  ten  kings,  who  have  not 
yet  begun  to  reign,  but  for  a  single  hour  they  receive  authority 
as  kings  along  with  the  animal.  They  have  one  purpose, 
they  give  their  power  and  authority  to  the  animal.  They 
will  make  war  upon  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  with  his  elect, 
chosen,  and  faithful  followers  with  him  will  conquer  them, 
for  he  is  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings. 

“The  waters  that  you  saw,”  he  said  to  me,  “on  which  the 
idolatrous  woman  was  seated,  are  peoples,  multitudes, 
nations,  and  languages.  The  ten  horns  that  you  saw  and  the 
animal  will  hate  the  idolatrous  woman  and  make  her  desolate 
and  naked,  and  eat  her  flesh  and  burn  her  up  with  fire.  For 
God  has  put  it  into  their  hearts  to  carry  out  his  purpose  by 
having  a  common  purpose  and  giving  up  their  authority  to 
the  animal  until  God’s  decrees  are  carried  out.  And  the 
woman  that  you  saw  is  the  great  city  that  has  dominion  over 
the  kings  of  the  earth.” 

Afterward  I  saw  another  angel  come  down  from  heaven. 
He  possessed  great  authority  and  his  splendor  lighted  up  the 
earth.  He  cried  out  with  a  mighty  voice, 

“She  is  fallen!  Mighty  Babylon  is  fallen!  She  has 
become  the  haunt  of  demons,  and  a  dungeon  for  every  foul 
spirit  and  every  unclean  and  loathsome  bird,  for  after  drinking 
the  wine  of  the  passion  of  her  immorality  all  the  heathen  have 
fallen;  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  joined  in  her  idolatry,  and 

17:8-18:3 


474 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


the  traders  of  the  earth  have  grown  rich  from  her  excessive 
luxury!” 

Then  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven  say, 

“  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  so  that  you  may  not  share  in 
her  sins,  and  suffer  from  her  plagues.  For  her  sins  are  piled 
up  to  the  sky,  and  God  has  remembered  her  crimes.  Pay 
her  back  in  her  own  coin,  and  give  her  double  for  what  she  has 
done.  In  the  cup  she  mixed  for  others,  mix  her  a  double 
draught.  The  more  she  has  given  herself  to  pride  and 
luxury  the  more  you  must  give  her  torture  and  grief.  Because 
she  says  to  herself,  ‘I  sit  on  a  throne;  I  am  not  a  widow,  I 
shall  never  have  any  sorrow,’  her  plagues  will  overtake  her  in 
one  day,  death,  grief,  and  famine,  and  she  will  be  burned  up 
with  fire;  for  the  Lord  God  who  has  judged  her  is  mighty. 
The  kings  of  the  earth  who  have  joined  in  her  idolatry  and 
luxury  will  weep  and  lament  over  her  when  they  see  the  smoke 
from  her  burning.  They  will  stand  a  long  way  off  for  fear  of 
her  torture  and  say,  ‘Alas!  Alas  for  the  great  city,  for 
Babylon  the  mighty  city,  for  in  a  single  hour  your  judgment 
has  overtaken  you!’  The  merchants  of  the  earth  will  weep 
and  mourn  over  her,  for  no  one  will  buy  their  cargoes  any 
more — cargoes  of  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  pearls,  fine  linen, 
purple,  silk,  and  scarlet,  all  kinds  of  citron  wood,  all  kinds  of 
objects  of  ivory  and  costly  wood,  bronze,  iron,  and  marble, 
and  cinnamon,  spices,  incense,  perfume,  frankincense,  wine, 
olive  oil,  flour,  wheat,  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  carriages,  slaves — 
and  human  lives !  The  fruit  of  your  soul’s  desire  is  gone,  your 
luxury  and  splendor  have  perished,  and  people  will  never  find 
them  again.  The  dealers  in  these  things,  who  had  grown 
rich  from  their  trade  with  her,  for  fear  of  her  torture  will  stand 
a  long  way  off,  weeping  and  mourning,  and  say,  ‘Alas!  Alas 
for  the  great  city  that  was  dressed  in  fine  linen,  purple,  and 
scarlet,  and  glittered  with  gold,  precious  stones,  and  pearls, 
for  in  a  single  hour  this  vast  wealth  has  been  destroyed!’ 
All  navigators  and  all  who  travel  by  sea,  sailors  and  sea-faring 
men,  stood  a  long  way  off  and  cried  out  when  they  saw  the 
smoke  from  her  burning,  ‘What  city  was  like  the  great  city  ?’ 
They  threw  dust  on  their  heads  and  wept  and  mourned,  crying 
out,  ‘Alas!  Alas  for  the  great  city,  where  all  who  had  ships 

18:4-19 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


475 


on  the  sea  grew  rich  through  her  extravagance!  For  in  a 
single  hour  she  has  been  destroyed!’  Gloat  over  her,  heaven! 
and  all  you  saints,  apostles,  and  prophets,  for  God  has  avenged 
you  upon  her!” 

Then  a  mighty  angel  caught  up  a  stone  like  a  great 
millstone  and  threw  it  into  the  sea,  saying, 

“With  such  violence  will  Babylon  the  great  city  be  hurled 
to  destruction  and  never  be  seen  again!  The  sound  of 
harpists  and  musicians,  flute-players,  and  trumpeters  will 
never  be  heard  in  you  again.  No  craftsman  of  any  kind  will 
ever  be  found  in  you  again,  no  sound  of  the  millstone  will  ever 
be  heard  in  you  again;  no  light  of  any  lamp  will  ever  shine 
in  you  again;  no  voice  of  bride  or  bridegroom  will  ever  be 
heard  in  you  again.  For  your  merchants  were  the  great  men 
of  the  earth;  by  your  magic  all  the  heathen  have  been  led 
astray,  and  in  you  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  saints, 
and  all  who  have  been  slaughtered  on  the  earth.” 

After  that  I  heard  what  sounded  like  the  loud  shout  of  a 
great  multitude  in  heaven  saying, 

“  Praise  the  Lord !  Salvation,  glory,  and  power  belong  to 
our  God,  for  his  judgments  are  sound  and  upright.  For  he 
has  passed  judgment  upon  the  great  idolatress  who  corrupted 
the  earth  with  her  idolatry,  and  he  has  avenged  the  blood  of 
his  slaves  upon  her!” 

Then  they  said  again, 

“Praise  the  Lord!  For  smoke  will  go  up  from  her 
forever  and  ever!” 

Then  the  twenty-four  elders  and  the  four  animals  fell 
down  and  worshiped  God  who  was  seated  upon  the  throne. 

“Amen!”  they  said,  “Praise  the  Lord!” 

And  there  came  a  voice  from  the  throne,  saying, 

“Praise  our  God,  all  you  slaves  of  his,  high  and  low, 
who  fear  him !” 

Then  I  heard  what  sounded  like  the  shout  of  a  great 
multitude  and  the  noise  of  many  waters  and  the  sound  of 
mighty  thunders,  saying, 

“Praise  the  Lord;  for  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Almighty, 
now  reigns!  Let  us  be  glad  and  triumphant  and  give  him 
glory,  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  has  come,  and  his  bride 

18:20-19:7 


476 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


has  made  herself  ready.  She  has  been  permitted  to  wear 
clean,  glistening  linen,  for  linen  represents  the  upright  deeds 
of  God’s  people.” 

Then  he  said  to  me, 

“Write:  ‘Blessed  are  they  who  are  invited  to  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb.’  These,”  he  said  to  me,  “are  the  true 
words  of  God.” 

I  fell  at  his  feet  to  worship  him,  but  he  said  to  me, 

“You  must  not  do  that.  I  am  only  a  fellow-slave  of  yours 
and  of  your  brothers  who  have  accepted  the  testimony  of 
Jesus.  Worship  God!  For  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  what 
inspires  prophecy.” 

Then  I  saw  heaven  thrown  open  and  there  appeared  a 
white  horse.  His  rider  was  called  Faithful  and  True,  and  he 
judges  and  wages  war  in  uprightness.  His  eyes  blazed  like 
fire.  There  were  many  diadems  on  his  head,  and  there  was  a 
name  written  on  him  which  no  one  knew  but  himself.  The 
garment  he  wore  was  spattered  with  blood,  and  his  name 
was  the  Word  of  God.  The  armies  of  heaven  followed  him 
mounted  on  white  horses  and  clothed  in  pure  white  linen. 
From  his  mouth  came  a  sharp  sword  with  which  he  is  to 
strike  down  the  heathen.  He  will  shepherd  them  with  a  staff  of 
iron,  and  will  tread  the  winepress  of  the  fierce  anger  of  God 
Almighty.  On  his  clothing  and  his  thigh  he  has  this  title 
written:  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords. 

Then  I  saw  an  angel  standing  on  the  sun,  and  shouting 
in  a  loud  voice  to  all  the  birds  that  fly  in  midair, 

“Come!  Gather  for  God’s  great  banquet,  and  eat  the 
bodies  of  kings,  commanders,  and  mighty  men,  of  horses  and 
their  riders — the  bodies  of  all  men,  slaves  and  freemen,  high 
and  low.” 

Then  I  saw  the  animal  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  and 
their  armies  gather  to  make  war  on  him  who  was  mounted  upon 
the  horse  and  upon  his  army.  And  the  animal  was  captured 
and  with  it  the  false  prophet  who  performed  wonders  on  its 
behalf  by  means  of  which  he  led  astray  those  who  had  let  the 
animal’s  mark  be  put  on  them  and  who  worshiped  its  statue. 
Both  of  them  were  flung  alive  into  the  fiery  lake  of  burning 
brimstone.  The  rest  were  killed  with  the  sword  that  came 


19:8-21 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


477 


out  of  the  mouth  of  him  who  sat  on  the  horse,  and  all  the 
birds  gorged  themselves  upon  their  bodies. 

Then  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven  with  the 
key  of  the  abyss  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  He  seized  the 
dragon,  the  ancient  serpent,  who  is  the  devil  and  Satan,  and 
bound  him  for  a  thousand  years,  and  hurled  him  into  the 
abyss  and  he  closed  it  and  sealed  it  over  him,  to  keep  him  from 
leading  the  heathen  astray  any  longer,  until  the  thousand 
years  are  over;  after  that  he  has  to  be  released  for  a  little 
while. 

Then  I  saw  thrones  with  beings  seated  on  them,  who 
were  empowered  to  act  as  judges.  And  I  saw  the  souls  of 
those  who  had  been  beheaded  on  account  of  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  and  the  message  of  God,  who  refused  to  worship  the 
animal  and  its  statue,  and  would  not  have  its  mark  put  on 
their  foreheads  or  on  their  hands.  They  were  restored  to  life 
and  reigned  with  the  Christ  a  thousand  years.  The  rest  of 
the  dead  were  not  restored  to  life  until  the  thousand  years 
were  over.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy 
is  the  man  who  experiences  the  first  resurrection !  The  second 
death  has  no  power  over  them;  they  will  be  priests  of  God  and 
the  Christ,  and  reign  with  him  for  the  thousand  years. 

When  the  thousand  years  are  over,  Satan  will  be  released 
from  his  prison,  and  will  go  out  to  lead  astray  the  heathen 
in  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  and  to 
muster  them  for  battle,  in  numbers  like  the  sand  of  the 
seashore.  They  came  up  on  the  broad  plain  of  the  earth  and 
surrounded  the  encampment  of  God’s  people,  and  the  beloved 
city.  Then  fire  came  down  from  heaven  and  consumed  them, 
and  the  devil  who  led  them  astray  was  flung  into  the  fiery, 
sulphurous  lake,  where  the  animal  and  the  false  prophet  were, 
there  to  be  tortured  day  and  night  forever  and  ever. 

Then  I  saw  a  great  white  throne  with  a  being  seated  on  it 
from  whose  presence  earth  and  sky  fled  so  far  that  they  could 
not  be  found.  I  saw  the  dead,  high  and  low,  standing  before 
the  throne,  and  books  were  opened.  Then  another  book  was 
opened;  it  was  the  book  of  life.  And  the  dead  were  judged 
by  what  was  written  in  the  books  about  what  they  had  done. 
The  sea  gave  up  the  dead  that  were  in  it,  and  death  and  the 

20: 1 — 13 


478 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


underworld  gave  up  the  dead  that  were  in  them,  and  they  were 
all  judged  by  what  they  had  done.  Then  death  and  Hades 
were  flung  into  the  fiery  lake.  This  is  the  second  death — the 
fiery  lake.  Anyone  whose  name  was  not  found  written  in  the 
book  of  life  was  flung  into  the  fiery  lake. 

Then  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  had  passed  away,  and  there  was  no 
longer  any  sea.  And  I  saw  the  new  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city, 
come  down  out  of  heaven  from  God,  like  a  bride  dressed  and 
ready  to  meet  her  husband.  I  heard  a  loud  voice  from  the 
throne  say, 

“See!  God’s  dwelling  is  with  men,  and  he  will  live  with 
them.  They  will  be  his  people  and  God  himself  will  be  with 
them,  and  he  will  wipe  every  tear  from  their  eyes.  There  will 
be  no  death  any  longer,  nor  any  grief  or  crying  or  pain.  The 
old  order  has  passed  away.” 

Then  he  who  sat  upon  the  throne  said, 

“See!  I  am  making  everything  new!  Write  this,”  he 
said,  “for  these  words  are  trustworthy  and  true.  It  is  all 
over!”  he  told  me,  “I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the 
beginning  and  the  end.  I  will  give  anyone  who  is  thirsty 
water  without  cost  from  the  spring  of  the  water  of  life.  He 
who  is  victorious  will  possess  all  this,  and  I  will  be  his  God 
and  he  will  be  my  son.  But  the  cowardly,  unfaithful,  and 
polluted — murderers,  immoral  people,  those  who  practice 
magic  or  idolatry,  and  all  liars  will  find  themselves  in  the 
burning  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone.  This  is  the  second 
death.” 

Then  one  of  the  seven  angels  who  had  the  seven  bowls 
full  of  the  seven  last  plagues  came  and  spoke  to  me. 

“Come,”  he  said,  “I  will  show  you  the  bride,  the  wife  of 
the  Lamb.” 

He  carried  me  away  in  a  trance  to  a  great,  high  mountain, 
and  showed  me  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city,  coming  down  out  of 
heaven  from  God,  in  all  the  glory  of  God.  It  shone  with  a 
radiance  like  that  of  some  very  precious  stone,  like  jasper, 
clear  as  crystal.  It  had  a  great,  high  wall  with  twelve  gates, 
and  twelve  angels  at  the  gates,  which  had  carved  upon  them 
the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel.  There 


20:14-21:13 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


479 


were  three  gates  on  the  east,  three  gates  on  the  north,  three 
gates  on  the  south,  and  three  gates  on  the  west.  The  wall 
of  the  city  had  twelve  foundation  stones,  and  on  them  were 
the  twelve  names  of  the  Lamb’s  twelve  apostles.  The  angel 
who  talked  with  me  had  a  gold  measuring  rod,  with  which  to 
measure  the  city  and  its  gates  and  wall.  The  city  was  a 
square,  its  length  the  same  as  its  breadth.  He  measured  the 
city  with  his  rod,  and  it  was  1,500  miles.  Its  length,  breadth, 
and  height  were  the  same.  He  measured  the  wall  and  it  was 
about  216  feet,  as  men  measure,  for  that  was  the  way  the  angel 
measured.  The  material  of  the  wall  was  jasper,  but  the  city 
was  pure  gold,  as  transparent  as  glass.  The  foundation 
stones  of  the  wall  of  the  city  were  ornamented  with  all  kinds 
of  precious  stones.  The  first  foundation  stone  was  jasper,  the 
second  sapphire,  the  third  chalcedony,  the  fourth  emerald, 
the  fifth  sardonyx,  the  sixth  sardius,  the  seventh  chrysolite, 
the  eighth  beryl,  the  ninth  topaz,  the  tenth  chrysoprase,  the 
eleventh  jacinth,  the  twelfth  amethyst.  The  twelve  gates 
were  twelve  pearls;  each  gate  made  of  a  single  pearl.  The 
principal  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  transparent  as 
glass.  I  saw  no  temple  in  it,  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and 
the  Lamb  are  its  temple.  The  city  does  not  need  the  sun 
nor  the  moon  to  shine  in  it,  for  the  glory  of  God  lighted  it,  and 
the  Lamb  is  its  lamp.  The  heathen  will  walk  by  its  light. 
The  kings  of  the  earth  will  bring  their  splendor  to  it.  Its 
gates  will  never  be  shut  by  day — for  there  will  be  no  night 
there — and  they  will  bring  the  splendor  and  the  wealth  of 
the  heathen  into  it.  Nothing  unclean  will  ever  enter  it,  nor 
anyone  who  indulges  in  abominable  practices  and  falsehoods, 
but  only  those  who  are  written  in  the  Lamb’s  book  of  life. 
Then  he  showed  me  a  river  of  living  water,  clear  as  crystal, 
which  issued  from  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  and  ran 
through  the  middle  of  the  principal  street  of  the  city.  On 
both  sides  of  the  river  grew  the  tree  of  life.  It  bore  twelve 
kinds  of  fruit,  yielding  a  different  kind  each  month,  and  its 
leaves  were  a  cure  for  the  heathen.  There  will  no  longer  be 
anything  that  is  accursed.  The  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb  will  be  in  the  city,  and  his  slaves  will  worship  him; 
they  will  see  his  face,  and  his  name  will  be  on  their  foreheads. 


21:14-22:4 


480 


THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 


There  will  no  longer  be  any  night,  and  they  will  have  no  need 
of  lamplight  or  sunlight,  for  the  Lord  God  will  shine  on  them, 
and  they  will  reign  forever  and  ever. 

“These  words  are  trustworthy  and  true,”  he  said  to  me; 
“For  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  the  prophets,  sent 
his  angel  to  show  his  slaves  what  must  happen  very  soon. 
See!  I  am  coming  very  soon!  Blessed  is  he  who  heeds  the 
words  of  prophecy  that  are  in  this  book.” 

It  was  I,  John,  who  heard  and  saw  these  things.  When 

I  heard  and  saw  them,  I  fell  at  the  feet  of  the  angel  who 

showed  them  to  me,  to  worship  him.  But  he  said  to  me, 

“You  must  not  do  that.  I  am  only  a  fellow-slave  of 

yours  and  of  your  brothers  the  prophets  and  the  men  who  heed 
the  words  of  this  book.  Worship  God! 

“Do  not  seal  up  the  words  of  prophecy  that  are  in  this 
book,”  he  said  to  me,  “for  the  time  of  their  fulfilment  is  very 
near.  Let  the  evil-doer  do  worse  and  worse,  let  the  base  grow 
baser  and  baser,  let  the  upright  man  be  more  and  more 
upright,  and  the  man  who  is  holy  be  more  and  more  holy.” 

“See!  I  am  coming  very  soon,  bringing  with  me  my  re¬ 
wards,  to  repay  everyone  for  what  he  has  done.  I  am  the 
Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and 
the  end.  Blessed  are  those  who  wash  their  robes,  so  as  to 
have  the  right  to  approach  the  tree  of  life  and  to  enter  the 
gates  of  the  city.  The  dogs,  those  who  practice  magic  or 
immorality,  murderers,  idolaters,  and  anyone  who  loves  false¬ 
hood  or  tells  lies  will  be  shut  out  of  it. 

“I,  Jesus,  sent  my  angel  to  give  you  this  testimony  for 
the  churches.  I  am  of  the  line  and  family  of  David,  I  am 
the  bright  morning  star.” 

“  Come,”  say  the  Spirit  and  the  bride.  Let  everyone  who 
hears  this  say, 

“Come!” 

Let  everyone  who  is  thirsty  come.  Let  anyone  who 
wants  it  come  and  take  without  cost  living  water. 

I  warn  everyone  who  hears  the  message  of  prophecy  in 
this  book  read,  that  if  anyone  adds  anything  to  it,  God  will 
inflict  upon  him  the  plagues  that  are  described  in  this  book; 
and  if  anyone  removes  from  this  book  any  of  the  prophetic 

22:5-19 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN 


481 


messages  it  contains,  God  will  remove  from  him  his  share  in 
the  tree  of  life  and  the  holy  city  which  are  described  in  this 
book. 

He  who  testifies  to  all  this  says, 

“It  is  true!  I  am  coming  very  soon!” 

Amen!  Come,  Lord  Jesus! 

The  blessing  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  his  people. 


PRINTED  IN  THE  U.S.4. 


22:20-21 


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